White Veil
by NightmareGlitter
Summary: Sartorius distrusts Alexis' loyalty to the Society. He decided to give her the ultimate test. Will she fail and trigger his evil side to overcome him completely? Will contain lemon, some CxA, criticism is allowed.
1. Chapter 1: Master

**A/N: This fic will contain lemon scenes. They won't be graphic, though. This is my first fic about Sartorious; however, I'm afraid to say he won't be portrayed well b/c he is possessed by the light. Please understand that, although he seems to be the tormentor, he is also the victim. You may give constructive criticism, and it may be harsh so long as you find one good thing to say. Please don't flame me. Other than that, enjoy. : )**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX or the Society of Light. **

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Chapter 1: Master

Sartorious tapped his fingers on the dark, polished cherry wood of his desk, impatiently waiting. Ten minutes ago, he had called for Alexis Rhodes to report to his office. She had yet to come. He gripped his head as a splitting ache filled it, a sign that It wanted to talk to him again.

_"Sartorious, you know what we must do."_

"Yes, I know, I'm trying. Can't you see I'm doing my best? Now leave me be!"

_"Just remember, we only have five days. If we can't show the world the Light…you know what will happen."_

He staggered over to a mirror and stared at his wretched, disfigured reflection. "Don't worry. Everything is in place. All will go well. Now, if you will excuse me, I have important duties to carry out."

_"Very well. Just remember, if you fail…there will be nothing left of our life."_

The sharp ache subsided, signaling that It had left him. With an exhausted sigh, Sartorious collapsed onto the plush, red velvet of his chair.

Holding his head in his hands, he wondered how much longer he could uphold the Society. Jaden Yuki had been coming too close to ruining his plans. He could find no weakness in this child that defied destiny. Then, of course, there was Chazz Princeton, his right-hand man. While Chazz seemed to be completely loyal to him, Sartorious worried that either Jaden or Alexis would trip him up. Of course, Alexis was on his side. In fact, Alexis was almost as important to the Society as Chazz. However, she might cause him to lose focus. He could not have that. And he could not have her focused on Jaden. She had to be entirely focused on him and the Light. That was why he must speak with her.

At that moment, there was a soft tap on the door. "Master, may I enter?"

Hearing Alexis' voice, Sartorious lifted his head. "Yes, dear child, please do come in."

Alexis opened the door and crossed the threshold. Seeing her master slumped wearily over his desk, she took pity on him.

"Master, are you all right?"

He looked up at her with a concerned amethyst gaze, the type he gave before he launched into a persuasive argument.

"Master?"

"Please, Miss Rhodes, take a seat." He gestured at the chair in front of his desk.

Feeling awkward, Alexis sat down, then smoothed her short, white skirt. A blush crept to her cheeks as she felt self-conscious.

"Miss Rhodes," he sighed, "I called you to my office because some important issues have come to my mind. Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps Jaden Yuki could be of more harm to us than good?"

She nodded. "Yes, Master, many a time."

"Then, perhaps you could do me a favor."

"What would that be?"

"I don't wish him to be a threat to our Society any more. It has become more than clear that he is far too advanced a duelist for us to conquer. Therefore, we must rid of him in a different manner."

"And this would be?"

"I need you to kill him." Despite his calm over the idea before, a strange, sour feeling disturbed the pit of his stomach.

Alexis was silent for a moment. Finally: "Master…I don't mean to question you, but I don't think I can do that."

"How else will you prevent him from distracting our Society?"

She bit her lip and failed to respond.

"More importantly, how will you prevent him from being a distraction to yourself?"

Her amber eyes widened as she looked up into her Master's face. "He won't distract me."

"I beg to differ," Sartorious sighed, arising and stepping over to the window. "You have had feelings for that Slifer since you first laid eyes upon him, is this not true?"

She hung her head, adverting her eyes from his piercing gaze as she refused to respond.

"Alas, it is true, isn't it, Miss Rhodes? Do not hesitate to admit it me, as well as yourself."

A slight pink graced her delicate cheeks. She dared to remain silent.

Sartorious stepped over to her and placed his cool hand on her cheek, brushing her blond hair away from her golden eyes. "Alexis, I need you to stay focused on the purpose. I need you to remember our goal, the very reason for this Society. We must bathe the world in the knowledge of the Light…we must save them!"

She jumped as he raised his voice. Frightened, she looked up into the eyes of her master. His hard expression softened seeing her innocent eyes.

"Oh, the things you have failed to experience, you poor, naïve creature," he sighed, turning back towards the window, "You're so young, so full of life, yet you have no ambitions, nothing to accomplish. Tell me, dear child, will you stay the course? Will you trust in the Light? Or will you fall to temptation and corruption? Will you crumble like a dried water lily? Will you sink like a fallen angel? Oh, you poor, little dove."

She trembled at his words. "Do you mean such rhetorically?" she queried, uncertain of his motives.

He turned looking sorrowful, then took her face in the palms of his hands and massaged her cheek bones. She gasped slightly at the gesture, an electric sensation singing her spine.

He spoke softly to her. "Alexis, whether I mean so rhetorically or literally is not the question you should be asking. You should be more concerned about your status in the Society. I fear that, under certain circumstances, you shall give way to the world. If you wish to remain pure, there are certain sacrifices that must be made."

She blushed, realizing he'd dropped the formality of the conversation in favor for a warmer intimacy. "Master, I don't know if it's quite right for you to refer to me as such. After all, I am nothing more than a servant to you, to carry out your purpose."

"Alas, it is so." He agreed, moving closer, "Indeed, you are to be my servant. And being such, you have agreed to serve me in any manner in which I see fit, is that not correct?"

She nodded, looking away.

"Then you will agree to the terms I set before you now. Have you truly accepted me as your master?"

"Yes sir."

"You have agreed to be completely humble and submissive towards me, have you not?"

"Yes sir."

"You agree that any command I bestow upon you is for the good of the Society as well as yourself and you will therefore carry it out to the best of your ability?"

"Yes sir."

"Do you agree that you are committed to the purpose of the Light and its bidding and will not allow mere individuals such as Jaden encroach upon us?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Then, you will see that your purpose and your assignment is fit. In order to deter any effect Jaden might have on you, you must do what I ask next of you."

"I am at your command, Master."

"Very well. You must arrive at my private quarters tonight at nine o' clock sharp. No later, and certainly not sooner."

She eyes him quizzically. "Master, what is the purpose behind--"

"Do not question me--" he began, then held his temples in agony.

"_What do you think you are doing?"_

"Alexis, you are dismissed."

"But--"

"Leave now."

"Yes, Master." She stepped out of his office, confused.

"_I thought I told you to rid of Jaden Yuki."_

"Do not worry, Master," Sartorious smirked, "You will get what you deserve, I assure you. In the meantime, I must test the loyalty of Miss Rhodes, just as you wished."

"_Very well. Trusting you shall make good judgment concerning the Society, I shall relinquish full power to you. From now own, you are the Master of us."_

"As you see fit." Sartorious laughed softly. "Don't worry. Alexis will soon see that there is nothing that little Slifer can do for her. After tonight, we shall never worry of her loyalty again."

Little did Alexis know that Sartorious did not have an ordinary mission in mind. That night would not only be a test of her loyalty, but also of her very integrity.

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**A/N: Well, that's it for today! I want to update tomorrow if I can. Please review: )**


	2. Chapter 2: Questions

**A/N: In this chapter, Sartorious becomes more self aware. In the previous chapter, it was brought to my attention that he was going along with the Light. Therefore, I shall use this mistake to my advantage. I hope that you were not too turned off from the last chapter to stop reading. Well, that's dumb of me, b/c if you were, you wouldn't be reading this now…nevermind.**

**Disclaimer: I still do not own GX or the Society. **

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Chapter 2: Questions

Sartorious watched from the doorway as Alexis crept up the stairs quietly. Nervous anxiety furrowed her brow; perhaps she knew what he required of her. Nevertheless, she approached him and came inside.

"Good evening, Miss Rhodes."

"Good evening, Master. Why do you wish to see me now?"

He shut the door, locking it, then turned to her. "Miss Rhodes, you know very well what you are here for."

She blushed and looked away again. "Master, I'm not sure--"

He gently took her face in his hands once more. "Alexis--may I call you Alexis?"

She frowned, but nodded.

"--Alexis," he continued, "you should be sure. It's the will of the Light. It's your destiny."

"What exactly do you want from me?" for the first time, her fear had led her to question him.

He looked down at her eyes, which were scrutinizing his expression distrustfully. "I suppose I should put an ease to you fears. Alexis, in order to make sure you keep in the best interest of the Light, I need you to be bonded to me."

She bit her lip. "What do you mean?"

"Come, I'll show you. And remember, you swore that whatever my will was, you would do. You are under my complete authority, trusting my judgment."

"I remember."

He took her hands, leading her into his bedroom. Panic rose in her throat, now that she understood what he required of her.

"Master, I can't possibly--this can't be in the best interest of the Light--I--"

"Alexis, do you dare question me?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm sorry, Master."

"Are you willing to perform what is required of you?"

The moonlight glinted off of her golden hair as she hung her head in delicate submission and nodded. "I will do whatever you ask. But, I have one question; why me?"

"Because you are one of the elite members of the Society. I hold you near to me. You are one of the chosen of the Light, not unlike Mr. Princeton and me."

"Very well, then." She relented, biting her lip, "Do to me what you see fit."

"I thought you'd see it my way."

She stood still, avoiding his gaze as he unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it off. He peeled her shirt off, then her bra. Licking his lips in anticipation, he unzipped her skirt and let it fall to the floor. Finally, he stripped her of her underwear leaving her standing naked in front of him. She still refused to meet his gaze.

He undressed himself as well. Then, he snaked his arms around her lithe body and eased her onto the bed. She still would not look at him.

Beginning to fear that this was an obvious show of rebellion instead of submission, he demanded that she look him in the eyes. Reluctantly, she obeyed. Just as he'd feared, her eyes were full of resentment and pain. She was heartbroken that he'd do this to her.

He felt a sudden pang of guilt. His hesitation only brought about another spell.

_"Why are you hesitating? Listen to the command."_

"I thought I was in control now."

_"Your heart is not where it should be in the goal. You're too hesitant. You're questioning the purpose."_

"After you told me to kill Jaden…I wasn't sure. Now, I honestly don't know if I should be doing this."

_"Silence. There is work to be done. Don't fight it; it'll only make things worse. Give in to your needs."_

"Why do you so desperately want me to do this?"

_"Why, whoever said it was I who wanted you to do this? Didn't you say you wanted to? Was it not you who claimed to be more in love with her every passing second? Did you not say that you watched her futilely with desperate eyes as she passed by every day? Of course, you did. Now, achieve the purpose. You will get as you desire, and I will get as I desire."  
_"What you desire is wrong. I know what you want from the girl. I won't let you touch her soul."

_"Do as I say and bond with her. Only then can I enter her completely. If you fail to obey, remember, I have full control over what happens to you and your sister."_

"Leave Serena out of this. Besides, what can you do to her?"

_"Plenty. Do not question me or how I can carry out my threats. If you do happen to question me, then I will carry my threats out."_

"But you'll hurt Alexis, and then, you'll use her to kill Jaden. I can't allow you to murder him."

_"It's not murder. He's a threat to the Society."_

"Something's not right."

_"I'm surprised at you. I could give you all you desire and more: power, world domination, adoring fans, acceptance into society, a utopia, praise for your psychic abilities as well as enhancement of them, and…the girl."_

He paused, then cautiously continued. "But, I cannot do what you ask in order to obtain those things."

_"You must."_

"I cannot."  
_"But if you don't…"_

Agonizing pain shot down his spine. He took a deep breath and endured it for a moment before the Light completely overpowered him.

_"See? Things are better my way."_

Seeing that he was helpless to the Light's will, he had no choice but to give in. Not to mention he could not hold back from his desires now that the opportunity was being dangled in his face.

He looked down at Alexis tenderly, touching her cheek. She recoiled and looked up at him with betrayed eyes.

"Master…"

"I won't hurt you. Please don't resent me."

Seeing he was genuine, she relaxed. "Master, I--"

"Call me Sartorious."

"Sartorious," she said awkwardly, "I won't be upset with you so long as you actually mean it."

She reached up and fondled his cheek, compassion and love in her eyes. He took this as a sign to continue. Slowly, he eased himself down on her body. She accepted him with open arms and gasped when he entered her.

She clung to his body, her nails digging into his back as she broke into a sweat. He, as well, held her, knowing it would not be pleasant for long.

He neither kissed her nor talked to her. It was as though this show of affection was nothing more than physical lust. And perhaps it was.

Just as he'd predicted, several moments later, she began to shiver from pain instead of pleasure. Clutching him tighter, she began to cry softly. Sartorious knew it was because the Light was completely overshadowing her, too. As much as he wished he could do something to save her, he knew he was powerless. Deep inside, he knew this was wrong, and that no one on earth could save them.

Alexis began to beg him to stop. She told him it hurt. He had no choice but to turn a deaf ear to her wishes and continue for as long as the Light needed.

She looked at him with desperate, anguished eyes, still imploring him to cease. All he could do was stare sympathetically back, showing her that he was as much a victim of this as she was. She could not derive any comfort from this, though.

His own physical desires also demanded to be satisfied. He pushed deeper into her body, and covered her mouth with his hand to stifle the pained scream that escaped. It was no longer consensual.

She felt like he was raping her. She now felt trapped in his cold embrace. How could she have ever imagined that he loved her? No matter how sadly he looked down at her, she knew he did not mean it.

Finally, unable to let him anymore, she began to thrash beneath him. He did his best to hold her down, to cease her wild attempts to wrest free, to even console her. It was all to no avail. After several moments, the Light seized control of his body and forced him to hit her over the head. She lay still after this.

A sick feeling spread across his body. He felt more remorse than he could've ever.

"How could you have made me do such a thing?"

"_It was necessary."_

"You can't abuse people like that! I command you to leave me!"

"_I beg to differ. On the contrary, I command you to leave me."_

Sartorious felt drained as his soul grew more distant. He felt detached from the real world; he felt like he was floating in the Light.

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Alexis woke up at three-thirty in the morning. Sartorious was no where to be found. It took her a moment to recall what had happened, but seeing the pool of blood in the bed sheets reminded her. Grimly, she stood up to get dressed. Her head began to throb, and she felt dizzy. She didn't care. She had to get out.

Quickly, she dressed and slipped into the hall. She was halfway to her room when she heard a familiar voice call to her.

"Alexis, what are you doing up so late?"

She turned to see Chazz, who had apparently come back from a duel. Frowning, she wondered why Sartorious would have scheduled a match during the darkest hours of the night.

"I could ask the same of you." Despite her recent encounter, her demeanor remained as calm and collected as usual.

"Alexis?"

He stepped closer, then took her cheek into the palm of his hand. Turning her head one way then the other, he examined her face, then frowned.

"What happened?"

"Nothing happened." She shrank away from him, now afraid of any physical contact from the opposite sex.

Looking down at her bruised arms, she realized that he must've beaten her while she was unconscious. Chills went up and down her spine.

"Alexis, who did this to you?"

"Nobody. I fell down the stairs." She continued to look down.

Seeming unconvinced, he took her by the arm. "Here, let me escort you back to your room."

She jerked away. "NO! I'm fine, Chazz, Ok? Back off. If you don't get away from me right now…you don't want to know. Don't you dare touch me!"

Despite the fiery anger flashing in her amber eyes, her voice was shaking. Beginning to tremble, the tears rolled over as she recalled how her master had so violently abused her.

Crumpling to her knees, she cried. "Why, Chazz…why?"

He knelt down by her, attempting to soothe her. "Let me help you. Let me in."

She looked up at him distrustfully. "I won't."

"I won't hurt you, I promise."  
"Just…go away."

"Come on, at least let me take you back to your room."

She was silent. Finally, she relented. "Ok."

He took her by the elbow, helping her to her feet. Then, he put and arm around her shoulders to support her as they walked down the hall. She managed to suppress her tears.

"Thanks."

"No problem. If you need anything else, don't be afraid to let me know."

She only nodded, then turned to wipe her eyes. "I'll be Ok now."

"All right, but if you need me, you have my number."

She nodded once more then stepped into her room.

"Oh, and, Alexis?"

She eyed him questioningly.

"If you ever need to talk, you can come to me. You can trust me. Even is it's something against Master Sartorious, I promise you, I won't tell."

He left her standing in the doorway, shocked at his words. It was obvious that he knew that Sartorious had hurt her. Question was, what would he do about it?

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**A/N: I hope that was a tad bit better. It still wasn't perfect, but it'll do for now. I probably won't update for awhile, but it's not going to be months. It might be a week or two or so. I have other projects to focus on. Anyway, please review : )**


	3. Chapter 3: Chazz

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I shouldn't be updating now, but I am anyway. Screw responsibility! XD Well, I may be saying that now, but come Wednesday, I'll be in tears asking myself "Why the hell did I not work on that damn project this weekend? WHY?!!!" Well, consider yourselves lucky. I'm sacrificing my time for you. Why? Cuz I love you! XDDDDDDDDDDD**

**Note: It will contain some Chazz and Alexis but more or less in a comforting sense. Nothing sexual between them. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX, the Society, or Chazz. Darn. XD**

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Chapter 3: Chazz

Alexis awoke several times during the night, remembering the horrifying experience. It had been two days since the incident. Two days since she'd lost her virginity. Two days of keeping her feelings bottled up. Two days since she'd begun to question Master Sartorious.

Many a time, she'd begun to wonder if she should tell someone about it. However, her better judgment prevailed. No one could know of it. After all, Sartorious' reputation and image as the leader of the Society must be upheld. He was their pillar, their cornerstone. At least, she'd thought so much. However, at this point, she wasn't so sure. She had no one to talk to about him, though. No one that wouldn't report her, anyway. No one except….

Rolling over on her side, she remembered what Chazz had said to her. He'd told her she could come to him. Well, in most cases, she would have refused. However, she was willing to make an exception here. Other than Bastion, Chazz was the only person she knew in the Society. She couldn't very well trust Bastion. He'd sought out the Society on his own free will and worshipped Sartorious with everything he did. No, Bastion could not be trusted. On the contrary, Chazz had told her she could speak with him of the matter.

Her eyes widened. Wait, she mustn't be so rash! For all she knew, it could be a trap. He was Sartorious' right-hand man, after all; one of the most trusted in the Society. Sartorious must've sensed her distrust and sent Chazz to test her. Why else would he be suddenly so interested in the matter? Perhaps he did feel the same way--it was a possibility--but suppose he didn't? Suppose he was nothing more than a crony? He would most certainly betray her, that is, unless she made it worth his while to keep it a secret.

Quickly, she shook the thought from her mind. How could she even consider doing such a wretched and vile thing? And in the Society, too? Certainly, when Master Sartorious searched her mind and found her sinful thinking he would banish her. She couldn't let her hope, her salvation, be wasted at this.

She tossed and turned for a moment, in a desperate attempt to go back to sleep. Finding the task impossible, she stood up and wrapped herself in a light, airy silk cover-up. After tying the ribbon and sliding her feet into slippers, she crept out into the hall and softly shut the door. She'd made her decision. She would talk to Chazz about it and trust he would not betray her.

She knocked lightly on his door, almost hoping he wouldn't hear her. Much to her dismay as well as relief, he cracked the door open.

"What?" he yawned, rubbing his eyes, then, seeing Alexis' troubled expression, asked, "What's wrong?"

Biting her lip, she asked tentatively, "May I come in?"

He nodded and held the door open to her. She stepped inside the darkened room and looked up at him nervously.

"Promise you won't hurt me."

He seemed taken aback. "I would never! But, I do promise all the same."

She wrung her hands a bit, then: "As for your previous question, that's precisely what I came here for."

He looked at her in silent confusion. Obviously, she was not making much sense.

Sighing, she carefully sat on the edge of his bed and continued to look at her hands. "You see, Chazz, I have been so plagued by this question that I have not been able to sleep. Permit me to ask you, without your betrayal: how do you feel about Master Sartorious?"

He sat down beside her while he pondered this. "I feel as though he does have an adequate sense of direction; he understands what is necessary to better the Society. He is qualified to be a leader, I'll say so much. Why do you ask?"

She shook her head in disgust. "You know, as well as I, that you just gave a generated response, one in which any member of the Society would give when faced with a similar question. Don't be afraid of me, I won't tell on you. You can trust me, just as much as I'm willing to trust you. After all, I came to you in faith, hoping I could confide in you and you could confide in me. Don't worry about my intentions. I have no ulterior motive, I can assure you as much. Please tell me what you really believe."

Chazz hesitated before responding. "I think that Sartorious is a bit off center," he admitted, "Something just hasn't been right about him for the past few days. I don't know what's wrong, but I do know he hasn't been himself. Something about him seems…malicious, shall I dare to say. He has upset me with talk of…of certain plans which I am not entitled to repeat."

Alexis pressed for information, now curious. "Please tell me. You can trust me. I'll admit that I have felt the same way. I know first-hand." She mentally admonished herself, realizing what she had just said.

Chazz arched an eyebrow skeptically. "What do you mean?"

"He has spoken with me as well," she began carefully, "and talked to me about how we must eliminate Jaden. We are no longer urged to recruit him for the cause, rather, we are urged to murder him. At least, that was my impression. He even said so. I cannot recall his exact words, but he said something to the effect of that."

A frown furrowed Chazz's brow. "Why kill him? Does he even deserve that? I don't think anyone does. What is he thinking? Well, I suppose I can tell you now. You see, Sartorious told me something about you."

Alexis felt chills run up and down her spine. Her fingernails dug deeply into his sheets. "What?"

"He told me yesterday that he wasn't so sure your entirety belonged with the cause anymore. He said that your spirit, as well as your eye, was wandering. Also, he indicated that it was Jaden's fault for leading you astray, that, because you were in love with him, you were working against us as a spy. It struck me as being such insanity, it scared me. He seemed rather troubled about it. All he could do was to mutter the same things over and over and wring his hands in anxiety. I tried to calm his nerves by assuring him you felt no such emotion, however, it did little good. In fact, it had quite the reverse effect. He turned to me trembling with anger and told me I was not to question him. Now, frankly, I believe that statement has little truth in it. It didn't even make sense in that context. I felt as though, for once, he were hiding some secret from me. He seemed detached, as though his mind were not really there with me. Have you noticed that?"

She nodded so he continued.

"Anyway, he told me then that he would have to test you again by threatening Jaden. This was, in my opinion, completely illogical. However, since his mind was set on the matter, there was nothing I could do to deter him from such an action. He continued by saying that I'd better not try the same thing, otherwise, he would have to 'take care of me in similar manner,' as he put it. By this phrase, I can safely infer that he wants to murder you. It scared me, and I tried to talk some sense into him; however, the longer I talked with him, the more incoherent and detached he became. I finally left, which was a good thing because he later went back to his cool, collected demeanor. It's almost as though he has two sides to him, battling for control."

Alexis swallowed hard and whispered, "You don't think he would…"

"I can't be sure." Chazz admitted, "But I can assure you, I won't let him hurt you."

Seeing his tender gaze, she blushed and averted her eyes. He placed a hand on her back and rubbed it gently.

"Chazz," she said quietly, "I'm scared of him."

"Because of what I just said?"

"Not just that…he behaved malignantly towards me. He treated me in a disrespectful manner."

"What'd he do?"

"I…." She shook her head, not willing to give up that information.

"You can talk to me."

"I know. It's just that I don't want to talk about it. Not until I know his true intentions."

Chazz nodded. "I understand. But when you're ready…"

"I'll tell you about it eventually. Thanks for being there for me."

"Anytime. Listen, if you ever need anything, I'll be here for you. And I can assure you, I'll protect you with my very life. It's my duty as a fellow member of the Society."

She smiled a little. "Thanks, Chazz."

Leaning over, she gave him a brief hug, then arose to leave.

"Do you want me to walk you back to your room?"

She shook her head. "I'll be fine on my own. Good night, Chazz."

"Good night, Lex."

She slipped into the hall and started to round the corner.

"Miss Rhodes, what are you doing up at this hour?"

She froze and turned slowly. "M-m-master!"

"Well, are you going to answer my question or not?" Sartorious sensed the familiar distrust rising in her and suspected she'd been conspiring against him.

"I was only talking with Chazz about the Society. You see, I couldn't sleep because--"  
"Don't." He held up a hand. "Come with me. I want to have a word with you." In truth, he knew he would have more than a simply word with her.

Her mouth went dry as she nodded. "Yes, Master."

As she followed him down the hall, she wrung her hands and thought about how he would torture her. Apparently, he knew better than to fall for her lies. He knew that she had been questioning his authority. Would he kill her now?

Sartorious led her into his private quarters with a troubled expression on his face. Shaking, she seated herself on the couch he gestured towards.

"Alexis, I would like to apologize for my behavior several nights prior to now. I realize that I frightened you and I hurt you. I never meant to do you any harm."

She blushed but nodded.

"I realize that you don't trust me, but you should. After all, everyone slips up. However," he sighed and stepped towards the window, a mannerism reminiscent of their talk in his study, "I suggest you learn to forgive and forget. I promise I can make it up to you. I promise I can treat you better, that is, if you're willing to accept my proposal."

"What exactly are we speaking of?" She asked suspiciously, her cheeks flushing.

A small, remorseful grin curved his lips. "I'd like to take you with me once more and show you that I can be gentler. Do it to prove that you can forgive me and forget my past mistakes. Do it to show you trust me again."

Her intuition warned her not to go with him. At the same time, though, she was desperate to find favor in his eyes, yet she did not understand why. Deep inside, a feeling throbbed painfully, begging him to heal her. She did not recognize the feeling; she'd never experienced it before.

Despite her better judgment, she complied. "I'm yours to do with as you see fit, Master."

"Dear, Alexis, I knew you'd come through. I'm glad to see you've made up your mind in an agreeable manner. Now come, and I'll show you that you can trust me and the Society." He hoped with all his heart that he could ward the Light off for as long as he proved his love towards her.

Still trembling, she followed him to his bedroom. He shut the door, locking it, then turned to her. She was unable to comprehend what was about to happen. Neither could she imagine why she would want to do such a thing again. Nevertheless, she allowed him to strip her of her clothing, along with her dignity.

He smiled, allowing his eyes to drift to her sensitive spot. Reaching out, he traced the outline, causing her to shiver. He lowered her to the bed, all the while his fingers pleasuring her. After what he had done, he wanted her to have a pleasant experience. He wanted to make her happy.

She squeezed her eyes shut as he pushed her legs apart and slid between them. Her body jerked involuntarily as he pushed into her. She breathed deeply as he pushed deeper and faster.

As he scraped his teeth against her neck, her fear began to return. It was true that he had yet to hurt her, however, she knew he could at any time. If that were the case, why was she allowing him to do this with her? And why had she not the heart to tell Chazz?

He thrust in and out faster and harder, despite the warning feeling that the Light was creeping into his mind. She gasped as she began to move with him. Something deep inside her told her she was wrong to do this. Something deep inside her urged her to stop. She clung tighter to his neck, fearing him with every fiber of her being.

"_Allow me access to her." _A familiar voice rang in Sartorious' ears.

"No, I can't. If I blocked you enough last time, I can most certainly do it again."

"_Which is precisely why you must let me now."_

"I will not hurt her like last time. Leave me!"

"_That, I cannot do. I will not do it. Now, if you do not comply, then I will have to force you. You don't want it to occur in a manner similar to last time, now, do you?"_

He hesitated then looked down at the frightened girl he was being intimate with. "Very well. I don't want her to get hurt again."

Almost immediately, he regretted it. She began to cling tighter to his neck and cry as she felt herself being overshadowed.

"No, don't, stop!" Terror struck her and she began to thrash again. "Stop, you're hurting me!"

Sartorious did his best to cut It off. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt It receding.

Alexis kept her face buried in his neck, trembling as hot tears streamed down. He held her tighter and tried to soothe her. She only responded by staring up with betrayed eyes.

"Why?" she whispered hoarsely, "Why do you do this to me? When you promise you won't?"

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Sheer regret overpowered his senses. Before he had time to comfort her any more, his time ran out. She gasped sharply as he came, causing her to feel hot and tingle.

Slowly, he withdrew himself and looked at the blonde in sorrow and shame.

"I am truly sorry for what I've done," he told her sadly, "I didn't mean to--"

"It doesn't matter," she sobbed quietly, "I just want to leave."

He only nodded and allowed her to dress herself. She slipped out hurriedly, without a word, leaving him sitting on the bed.

"_Why'd you let her go? Why did you stop me?"_

Sartorious shook his head. "I cannot allow you to hurt her."

"_You will pay for what you've done."_

"As I should." Sartorious arose and stepped into his shower to wash away all iniquity.

------------------------------

The first thing Alexis did was run straight back to Chazz's room. There was no sense in going back to her own room. What if Sartorious came back and demanded to know why she was still disobedient? Though that did not make much sense, neither did Sartorious.

Feeling frantic, she banged on the door. Chazz opened it for the second time that night. Seeing her red eyes and the tears still staining her cheeks, he let her in wordlessly. Shutting the door, he smoothed some of her disarrayed hair down, and held her.

Unable to help herself, she melted against his body. She sniffed and looked up at him for comfort. He squeezed her tighter as she began to shake violently.

"What happened?"

She shook her head and buried her face in his shoulder, allowing the tears to fall. Seeing that he would not be getting any more sleep, he sighed and pulled her in his lap as he sat down.

"Chazz….can I stay with you tonight? Please?"

He was surprised by her request but agreed. "Anything you need."

Feeling like a whore, she crawled into bed next to him. "Please don't take this the wrong way."

"I won't. I understand."

She allowed him to draw her close in his arms. Feeling his gentler nature, she relaxed and cuddled close.

"I'll be all right," she told him wearily, "so long as you stay with me for now."

"I wouldn't abandon you for the world."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Exhausted by her terrifying experience, she fell asleep. But she couldn't deny what had taken place. And she couldn't deny her growing feelings for Sartorious. The only question was, would he ever return them?

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**A/N: Endings are so hard. That was a weak one. XP Well, I tried. Hope you liked my crappy story! XD Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4: Heart

**A/N: I know it's been awhile, but I've been busy and I've been trying to finish some fics up. Well, here it is…finally. (sweatdrops) And I realized I was spelling his name wrong…(sweatdrops again) Well, at least I fixed it in this chappie…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 4: Heart

Alexis sat outside Sartorius' office, feeling anxious. For the fifteenth time that day, she straightened her white skirt and tried to ignore the rising hurt inside her. As much as it frightened her to see him, she knew it must be done. She had no other choice.

After a moment or so, the door opened and a boy stepped out. Ignoring her, he walked down the hall, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Nibbling on her lip apprehensively, she took a deep breath and entered the study.

"Master?"

"Yes, what is it?" He looked up from his paperwork.

Taking another deep breath, she wrung her hands and said, "I need to speak with you, that is, if you have the time."

"Of course I do. I always have time for you, Alexis." Standing, he slanted the blinds just enough so that anyone who might be spying wouldn't be able to see the room's occupants. He then gestured for her to take a seat.

Gladly, she seated herself, and straightened her skirt again. "Master, I apologize for my behavior last night. I was upset…"

"As I can well imagine." He sighed, sitting behind his cherry desk and propping his chin in his hand, as though in pained thought. "And I apologize for treating you in such a manner. One should not behave towards a lady like that."

A slight pink graced the blonde's cheeks. "It's all right, Master, I forgive you. I forgave you a long time ago, actually, although it was difficult."

Sartorius nodded understandingly, his face creased in worry. "I know, my dear child. But I never mean to hurt you. It happens sometimes; one can always lose control, however, one cannot always gain it."

Alexis' brow furrowed in frustration. "But, shouldn't you, of all people, have mastered control? If you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all. After all, it is human nature--something we must all learn to overcome. It's never easy, as you well know. And you will never completely be able to handle it properly. However, you can learn to hold back some. Although, there are those moments…"

"Of course," She agreed, "But I just wanted you to know that I do not think ill of you for it. I cannot. You are my master…in more than one way." She gazed upon him tenderly.

He was unable to suppress a blush. "Alexis, you flatter me."

"It's not meant to be flattery." She told him, rising to her feet and tentatively stepping over to him, "I mean every word I say."

He looked directly into her eyes, entranced. She reached a trembling hand up to his face, and touched his cheek as though it were fragile. Just as gently, he placed his hand over hers, and rubbed it. Her eyes held him captive, making him feel more enchanted than anything he'd encountered. No, not even the Light could have a hold on him so powerful. He loved her more than his own being, his own existence.

"Alexis, I…"

"What?" She asked quizzically, seeming more innocent than before.

"I love you."

She stared up at him, unable to believe what he'd just said. "What?"

"I said, I love you." He took her hand in his and kissed it, causing her to blush.

"M-master…"

"Don't be afraid, my dearest Alexis, I love you with all my being."

Regaining her composure, she stared up into his eyes and murmured, "Whereas I doubted myself at first, now I can be certain of this truth; I love you too."  
"Oh, Alexis…" Sartorius touched her cheek again, brushing her golden hair out of her eyes. "In that case, do you forgive me for all that I've done?"

"Of course," She whispered, leaning her face closer to his.

"Thank you," He whispered, tilting his head.

Automatically, his arms snaked around her waist. She, as well, embraced him as their lips met in their first shared kiss. They stood still in the middle of the room, softly kissing for some time. Before either had had their fill, there was an abrupt rap on the door.

"Master Sartorius," came Chazz's voice, "Might I be granted permission to enter?"

"You may." He replied, releasing Alexis.

Feeling suddenly weakened, she fell back onto a chair. She held her head, slightly dizzy. What could be making her feel this way? Was this what it felt like to be in love?

Chazz glanced at her, then bowed to Sartorius. "Master, I believe that Jaden is getting out of hand."

Sartorius scowled. "What do you mean?"

"Well, he won't stop rallying against us. He's constantly dueling our members and driving them from the cause. Just a moment ago, he dueled fourteen of our highest ranking members. All lost the duel…and their salvation."

Sartorius shook his head. "It's sad to think some people cannot understand the immense power of the Light. Those ignorant ones must be stopped. I shall be on it shortly, unless you believe you can handle it. Are you up for the challenge?"

Chazz nodded. "I always am, Master."

Sartorius smiled. "Excellent. In that case, I hope you would go ahead with the matter. You are dismissed."

Chazz bowed respectfully once more then walked out, brushing past Alexis as he exited.

Sartorius sat down and gazed out the window in silent contemplation. He drummed his fingers on the edge of his desk, his amethyst eyes perceiving nothing. Deep within his mind, a battle for his soul was occurring. His head began to throb as his alter ego returned.

"_Why must you send him on a mission so futile?"_

"Silence yourself." He chuckled softly at the prospect. "It is the only way in which I may gain control again. If he can be freed, perhaps he can show Jaden the danger…perhaps he can save me."

"_Nothing can help you now. It is your destiny. Haven't you always trusted in the pulls of fate? Haven't you always built you life around it, made it part of your ideals?"_

"I shall partake in this foolish expenditure no more."

"_As you wish. You might say such a thing, but I can assure you that you'll soon regret having said those words. Defiance is not an option. You have no choice. It is I who have control of your body."_

"I suppose that could be a problem." Sartorius muttered, then smiled, "But it seems as though I have control over my mind. And is it not believed by many that the mind overpowers the body? After all, the brain sends signals to the body in order to command it. Even if the body is weak, will can overpower that. And you shall soon find that I will gain the upper hand."

"_Not if I do not give you the chance. Watch yourself; you cannot predict all."_

He breathed a sigh of relief as it drifted into the shadows of his mind. Although it had excused itself from his presence, he still felt troubled. All was not well. He knew he could not overpower the Light. Feeling more troubled and despairing greatly, he sighed.

"He won't survive."

Alexis raised her head, startled. "What do you mean?"

"He won't survive that duel. I have foreseen it."

She bit her lip. "Then why'd you send him out there?"

"It is his destiny." He murmured sadly, straightening his papers, "And who are we to question the pulls of fate?" He felt all the more hopeless as he heard himself spewing out the lies the Light had fed him; that which had sustained him so long had become deadly.

Shifting uneasily, she asked, "What shall become of him?"

He failed to answer, only continued to stare down at the desktop. "Sometimes," He muttered, rather detached, "Destiny works in strange ways. It can take a turn for the better. It can take a turn for the worse. It can misguide us and lead us off the path. However, even if one knows his destiny he can do nothing to stop it."

Alexis furrowed her brow. "Master, you're not making much sense."

_"You know what you must do to her. How many times have a told you? How many times will it take for you to learn that I have control--I am you, Sartorius, this is what you've become!"_

Sartorius massaged his temples, frowning deeply. "Peace!" He shouted, "Leave me be…"

Alexis quickly got to her feet. "I'm sorry, Master, I'll leave."

Before he could protest, she stepped out and shut the door. He sighed heavily. "Must all my thoughts be so bitter and full of darkness? Oh, but if only I had a bit of righteousness within; what a man should that make me! How is it, then, that walking in the Light makes one so cold and isolated? What paradox has been created by my existence? Why should I, one of the elite in the favor of the Light, be kept perpetually in darkness? Oh, if only I had the ability to answer my own questions. Alas, that would make me a man."

---------------------------------------

Alexis sat on a rock by the beach, watching the waves lap up on the shore. Sighing, she brushed her golden hair out of her face and hugged herself for warmth. Why must she feel this way? Why must she so desperately yearn for he who had ruined her? After all, she was in an insubordinate position, and yes, it was right for him to abuse his authority. But why must it be him? He wasn't exactly the most attractive man either, especially not unclothed. However, something deep inside him captivated her and preserved her hope. She certainly wished they could be together. Sighing again, she looked up at the stars in the night sky.

"Why have you led me down such a treacherous path?" She whispered, her voice trembling. "Why must I be so miserable? Why do I have to live without the one I care for the most? After all, he cares not for me. Why should he, anyway? There is no reason that I should be of any importance other than to the Society. But there, that's another question. What is the purpose of the Society? What good will we do the world if we're simply floating around, upholding a false gospel, so to speak? We don't really take action. It's all emptiness! That being said, what is my true purpose?"

"You've got a point, there, Lex," Came a voice.

Startled, she jumped, then turned to see Chazz.

He said nothing for a moment, only seated himself comfortably beside her on the rock.

"You've been pondering the meaning of this life too?" She asked.

"Of course." His charcoal eyes glistened in the moonlight. "There's too many questions the Society leaves unanswered. I honestly don't know what we're trying to accomplish. Yeah, I know he tells us that we must 'save the world' or 'spread the Light' or something like that, but is it really anything more than a political game he's playing? By using a sort of religion as an excuse, he's manipulating us to do his dirty work for him. It's a psychological trick, really."

She bristled. "And how do you suppose this is true?"

He glanced over at her cynical expression. "I'm not saying it is true. I'm simply speculating. I don't know really what's going on, but I do know it's more than we're being told."

"There's a lot that you don't know." She whispered, looking down at the sand.

His gaze fell on her once more, only this time he did not look away. "What did he do to you?"

She was silent.

"What did he do?" Chazz grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him. His expression was angry and concerned, his shoulders hunched in indignation.

She wasn't sure how to answer. Everything that had happened had been so confusing. What was she expected to say?

"I swear, if he hurt you…I'll kill him!" Chazz snapped.

"Why? He's our master!" Alexis gasped.

"Alexis, it doesn't matter. If anyone dares to hurt you, I will avenge you to assure it never happens again." He told her, scowling, "You're my top priority, not the Society. But don't let anyone know that. I'd put you above the Society, even my very life, any day!"

She averted her eyes from his. "You'd even keep it from Master Sartorius?" She asked bitterly.

"He's not in charge of everything! What, do you want to be under a dictatorship? Trust me, I know all about that. Look, I'm rich. I've been there before, my brothers are still there…don't think I don't know about the power hungry."

"So, what does that mean," She asked, her voice faltering, feeling divided between loyalty and confusion, "that you're going to leave the Society?"

He hesitated a moment before responding. "No."

"Then why condemn it so?"

"I…don't know. Maybe the same reason you do."

Feeling suddenly outraged, she grasped his shoulders in a vice like grip, speaking through her teeth. "You know nothing about my life or my reasons."

He remained silent, stunned by her reaction.

"You don't know anything. You don't know what I've been through. Nor will you ever I suppose."  
"Well, if you'll just tell me, maybe I can help you."

She took several deep breaths then leaned her forehead against his chest, still grasping his shoulders. "I'm not ready." She hesitated a moment, then continued. "I'll tell you when I am, Ok?"

"Ok…" He agreed, uncertain of this. "If you need to call me…"

"I won't need to call you." She said coldly as he rose. "I can take care of myself."

He only responded by muttering a curt good bye. She turned back towards the ocean, breathing hard. Then, biting her lip, she allowed the silver drops to fall. She had held it in so long.

-------------------------------------------

When Alexis returned to her dorm, she found a note attached to the door. Curiously, she pulled it off and opened it. A silver, heart shaped pendant fell out. Blushing, she picked it up and read the note.

_"Dearest Alexis,_

_My sincerest apologies for all that has occurred over the last couple of days. I never meant for you to get hurt, neither did I want you to leave earlier. All I wanted to do was tell you I was sorry. Please understand that I've had a lot of pressure on me. All I want to do is tell you, I love you, Alexis._

_Love, _

_Sartorius."_

Alexis folded the note up and put it in her jacket. Then, she slipped the delicate pendant around her neck. As she stepped into her darkened room, she whispered to herself, "And I love you too, Master, no matter how wrong you are."

She shut the door, deciding that despite his philosophies being false, she would stay with him the entire way. Nothing in the world could tear her from his side, or the Society's. She was at his disposal.

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**A/N: Finally finished with the chappie! YES! It took me an entire WEEK!!! AND IT'S STILL CRAP! XD Well, I'll try to update as much as possible. Until next time.**


	5. Chapter 5: Betrayal

**A/N: Ok, I have no idea what to say. Except I don't understand my own fic after being away from it so long. And it's finally Ok to be kind of angsty here. I'm ready to step away from parodies…at least, I'll try. But I don't think I can stop for long. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX. And a BIG thanks to my bro, WhiteAsukaLover for writing the duel. Thanks a lot. I promise to try to write my own next time. : )**

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Chapter 5: Betrayal

Alexis lay awake, fretting. She tossed and turned, restless. Finding it impossible to sleep, she pulled on her white cover-up and plush slippers, then stepped quietly into the hall. As she walked to Chazz's room, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu. She felt as though they were only going in circles, however, he was the only one who truly understood her and her doubts.

Biting her lip, she knocked on the door. After a moment, it opened. Wordlessly, Chazz held the door open for her. She walked in, folding her arms in a protective manner over her chest.

"What's up?" Chazz asked softly as she seated herself on the edge of his bed.

"Chazz, I'm worried. There's a lot going on in my life now…but that's not really what I want to talk about first. Remember earlier when Master Sartorius asked you if you were up for the challenge?"

"Yes."

"Well, I don't understand why he did this, but…you're going to lose. And he knew it."

There was a long silence. Finally: "Perhaps he knows I won't leave the Society."

"That is a strong possibility; however, I can't help but wonder what he means to do by sending you out on a futile mission."

"It could be a test of my loyalty."

"But, Chazz," She protested, her brow furrowing in frustration, "All the other members who dueled Jaden lost. If you lose too…"

"Exactly my point," Chazz sighed, sitting next to her, "If I lose and still remain in the Society, then I've proven myself worthy. However, if I lose sight of the goal, then I will be as worthless as those others. Don't you understand? It's to see how strong the influence of the Light is on us."

"But why waste members away like that? It just seems so cruel." She told him, hugging herself tighter, "I mean, if he knows it will happen, if he knows their hearts already…why does he even recruit them? What's the point?"

"There is no point," he answered, "Sartorius only needs members to do his dirty work. When he's done with them, he sends them on missions he knows they can't fulfill. It's a death trap. Once he's done with you, he uses you to test an opponent's strength and learn their deck as well as their threat to the Society. It's that simple."

"If you know all this, then how come you stay?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe it's to keep an eye on you." He told her, placing a hand on her cheek.

She turned her head away. "Do not behave in that manner towards me," She murmured, blushing, "I don't like it."

"Yet it seems as though your words are the opposite of your true feelings." He pointed out.

Her eyes bore into him, burning him with a sort of icy fire that he could not describe. They spoke of two battles occurring simultaneously in her soul; however, he had not the time to know of them.

"I still do not like it." She told him, her tone regaining a formal edge to it. "And can we cease this talk of Master's intentions? I do not like that, either."

"You were the one who brought it up."

"True. But when you speak of it, you speak of it with great contempt and resentment, like you're angry. I don't like it. I want you to stop talking about my master like that." Her shoulders heaved, her body quivering from fury.

"I apologize. I never meant to hurt you."

"You don't understand. I care more for master than you ever could. He and I have a bond that you could never know of. It wouldn't make any sense to you."

"A bond?"

"Nevermind."

"Hey, wait, I know something's going on between you and Sartorius. What is it?"

"I don't wish to disclose that information." She muttered, rising to her feet, "Now, I think we've discussed the matter enough. If you'll excuse me…I bid you good night."

"Alexis…I'm sorry…I never meant--"

It was too late. She had stepped outside. Frowning disapprovingly, she slammed the door. Chazz sat on the bed, feeling numb. Something was wrong, of that he was sure. He just had to figure out what it was.

------------------------------------------------------

As Alexis tried to return to the peace of her room, a hand caught her arm. Rolling her eyes, she turned. Her mouth opened for a moment, then shut. "A-aster…where'd you come from so suddenly--"

Aster held a finger to his lips, then pulled her aside. "Alexis, I need to talk to you. It's very important."

"What's wrong?"

"It's about Sartorius. I know that you are a part of his Society and all, but I really, really need to talk to you about his behavior. And please bear with me. I only want to help him."

Alexis bristled. "Help him? I can do that well enough, thank you very much."

"You don't understand. This isn't just about the Society anymore. More or less, it is about the world, but it's also about his mental health, too."

She arched an eyebrow, her expression a mix of curiosity and distrust. "If it's against the Light--"

"Just listen to me. Alexis, he's been possessed. He wants out of this. Deep down inside, he knows he's hurting you and himself. He knows he's hurting everyone involved. The problem is that this entity has a hold on his mind. Please, you've got to help him."

"I don't understand what you're talking about." She muttered, furrowing her brow. "You're making no sense."

"Ok, I guess what I'm trying to say is, I know about you and Sartorius."

A slight gasp escaped her lips. "How do you--"

"Not now. That's not important. What is important is that, well…think of it this way, he has a split personality. He has another side to him, one that you haven't seen. And that's the real Sartorius. Right now, the Light is in control of him; therefore, he can't control his actions. Not to mention the Light is choking off his life force. Please save him before it's too late."

"How can I do anything?" She muttered bitterly, "Besides, what you're saying still makes no sense. That's not the way the Light works. The Light--"

"It's a fraud!" Aster insisted, growing frustrated, "Don't you see, Alexis? It's using him! It's using you! And once it's done with you, you'll become a soulless, empty shell. You need to stop before it gets dangerous. Right now, the Light is trying to possess you as well. As of this point, you're only brainwashed; however, if he lets the Light enter you, then you'll be screwed. There will be no means of escape if the Light starts to inhabit more than one person. Think about it, the only reason Sartorius is carrying on with you is so that you can become spiritually bonded, thereby enabling the Light access to your mind! You've GOT to stop."  
She stared at Aster, uncertain of how to respond. "You're…lying."

"No, I'm not. If you really care about him like you say you do, then you'll take my advice. No matter what, do NOT let him have sex with you again. You don't want to become spiritually bonded with him. If you really want to save him, then leave him alone."

"I'm not going to do that!" She cried, horrified, "You don't abandon anyone! Especially if what you say is true."

"I can't make it come out right," Aster muttered, frustrated, "I'm sorry, Alexis, it's just not coming out the way I need it to. Please try to understand."

"I--"

"Aster, what are you doing here?"

Both froze. Alexis became aware of the fact that Aster had her pinned to the wall, his hands on her shoulders. Feeling insulted, she shoved him off.

"What the hell are you thinking?!"

"What were you trying to do to her?!" Sartorius snapped, his eyes growing cold.

"Look, I know you're not yourself."

"Ah, but, Aster, I've only seen the Light. You're not really yourself until you've seen the Light." Sartorius retorted icily.

"All right, that's it." Aster told him, "I can't have any of this anymore. I'm going to bring you back. And I won't let you hurt Alexis either. I say we duel right now."

Alexis opened her mouth in protest.

"That's fine with me," Sartorius hardened face gave way to a smirk.

"If I win, you get out of this crazy Society, got that?" Aster snapped.

"Very well," Sartorius agreed, "As for me, I do not wish for anything if I win."

"What?!"

"That's all up to you. I have no ill intentions, nothing to hide."

"You're even crazier than I thought!"

"I wouldn't be saying that if I were you."

"Well, whatever. Let's just duel."

"Fine by me."

Sartorius stepped into an adjacent room, gesturing for Aster to follow him. Once inside, he turned on the lights, which blinded the occupants momentarily. When their eyes finally adjusted, they recognized the area as the Society's meeting room. Sartorius outstretched his arms as he took his place at the far left of the room.

"You see, Aster, I have brought you here for a purpose. We have come here because it represents the very heart of the Society. If I did not have utmost trust in you, then we wouldn't be in here right now. And I do believe that you'll find the Society to be much more appealing than you'd expected." He gave a short laugh.

Aster frowned. "I don't think so. All I want is to protect a friend. Now, enough of this nonsense already."

"Very well. On with the duel."

Aster and Sartorius activated their duel disks.

"Duel!" They shouted.

"I'll go first." Aster calmly announced.

"Fine by me," Sartorius told him, "But I already know the outcome of this duel. Fate has already planned it out. Everything we do has been meticulously predetermined."

Just as he was speaking these last few words, another being entered his mind, sharing its space. _"You must not lose."_

Sartorius held his head in his hand as sharp pain overtook him. From deep within the recesses of his mind, he thought, "I cannot control it…how can I control destiny? Peace, leave me be. Leave me to duel on my own will so that I might be freed!"

"_Silence you fool. I will do no such thing. I will remain a part of you and guide you to victory. You must win. You must control the world. Leave destiny to me."_

"I want to be free!"

Just as he'd silently cried this out, he felt his sanity being stripped of him. He was merely a puppet now, having no free will whatsoever.

"_Your insolence shows me that you have yet to learn the true meaning of destiny. I shall strip you of all self will until you learn."_

As the spirit receded, he once more returned to the present, though he was stunned.

Aster drew a card, smirking at it. "Yeah, whatever. If you could see the future, then could you see this coming? I summon Destiny Hero Defender in defense mode! (100/2700) And then I'll place 2 cards facedown and end my turn."

Sartorius drew and smiled despite himself. "Well played, Aster. Right along with the pulls of Destiny. I summon Arcana Force VII – The Chariot (1700/1700) in attack mode. Its ability will be activated as soon as it stops upright."

However, inside, he once more thought. "How can I spew such lies out without the blink of an eye? I'm more of a fool than I could've ever imagined. This is not a good match. I can't win. I won't!"

"_You will. You have no choice."_

Another electric shock of pain forced him to comply. Quickly, he turned his attention back to his opponent as best he could. However, he was still greatly distracted.

Aster frowned skeptically as he watched the card rotate. "I don't buy it. I don't care how much you say--"

Before he could so much as finish his sentence, the card landed upright. Aster's sapphire eyes widened.

Sartorius grinned maliciously. "Ah! As predicted by destiny, it is upright! Therefore, when I destroy one of your monsters, it is summoned back to my side. I'll end my turn with that."

Aster drew, looking frustrated. "I'll summon Destiny Hero Captain Tenacious (800/800) in attack mode and end my turn."

Sartorius drew and placed 2 cards in his disk. "I place 2 cards facedown and end my turn."

"_It's not enough you must do more! Use the power I gave you."_

"That would be cheating…"

"_No, it's destiny,"_

"How can you say that? How can you be so corrupted? I refuse to play this game any longer…"

"_You will!"_

Once more, Aster drew. Then, looking at the card, he smirked confidently. "I activate Fiend's Sanctuary! This card allows me to summon a Metal Fiend Token (0/0) in attack mode. And next I'll sacrifice my 3 monsters to special summon Destiny Hero Bloo – D in attack mode. His special ability allows me to steal the attack points of your monster bringing Bloo – D to 3600! Now attack directly!"

Sartorius screamed as his life points decreased to 400 instantly. But it wasn't just due to the shock of the attack. Along with the impact, he also felt another streak of pain running up and down his spine. If this entity inhabiting him did not stop, he'd be dead for sure.

Aster smiled. "I end my turn."

Sartorius drew, but found he was unable to do anything. He couldn't force himself to continue. Rather, he'd have his will power allow him to throw the duel. "I'll pass."

"_You idiot! What are you saying? What are you thinking? You'd better do something. Look, you can still salvage this. If you'd just place that card--" _

However, it was far too late.

"Good. Now, Bloo – D attack!"

Before Aster could follow through with his attack, a cry pierced the air.

"Wait, don't do it!" Alexis leapt in front of her master, attempting to shield him from the oncoming attack.

"Alexis, get out of the way!" Aster yelled.

It was too late. Before Aster or Alexis had time to think, the beast within Sartorius had reacted.

"You fool! Don't interfere in the affairs of Destiny!"

As though in slow motion, he lifted his hand. Next thing Alexis became aware of was a sharp pain on her right cheek, followed by a clap of thunder. She gave a little yelp, then crumpled to the floor. Her heart shaped locket became entangled in her fingers and broke, falling to the ground.

Sartorius walked away, seemingly indifferent to his defeat or the far more bitter defeat that the young girl had just encountered. His inner self beseeched with the stronger entity for mercy. However, his cries were unheard, soon to be completely silenced by the shadows of the Light.

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**A/N: Well, that was a rather nasty occurrence. Sartorius, or rather, the Light has just turned his back on Alexis. How will she react to this? **


	6. Chapter 6: Memories

**A/N: Well, last chapter wasn't quite expected, eh? Well, I hadn't planned for that to happen either. It just happened. Anyway, I'm having some trouble so any and all ideas would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks for your time.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 6: Memories

The world was filled with white wonder. Falling gently from the sky like frozen tears, it alighted itself in featherlike quiet on tender skin. In the distance, dark pools of water lay still, frozen in time. Alexis knew she was not awake.

This world was far too pleasant. Why were there no worries? No thoughts of the future, no tomorrow? Alas, there was no tomorrow if events kept playing out the way in which they had been. She must be dreaming, no, it couldn't be real. Why then, did she have that curious cold, wet sensation on her skin? Why did it tingle and burn like she remembered it had? Perhaps she was awakening in a sense.

Closing her eyes, she drifted back through the fabric of time. Years and years and years…it melted away in a vast swirling vortex that moved slowly, almost as though drowsy. Her eyelids felt heavier. Now she felt it. She was becoming drowsy. Sleep…no, she must fight it off. She had duties to carry out, people to see. How could she even think of sleeping at a crucial time like this? Off in the distance, she heard the soft pitter-patter of rain and the murmur of voices.

Was that really what rain sounded like?

For as long as she had remembered, which wasn't very long if her perception was correct, she had been unable to accurately comprehend even the smallest of concepts. Rain was a prime example. How did they know that it was really what they thought it to be? In her past experiences, she'd found appearances to be deceiving. Now, she was suspicious of everything. Perhaps nonliving elements and concepts really could lie…

Wait…had she heard something? Had that been the laughter of her brother? No, she didn't have a brother…it couldn't have been.

_"Hey, sis, come look at this!"_ The laughter plagued her.

A younger vision of herself passed before her unseeing eyes. She looked so…so _naïve_, too much like Jaden, even. _"Wow, Atticus, where'd you find that?"_

_"Behind the shed. Isn't it pretty?" _A vague vision of Atticus materialized in front of her. He was holding a rose out to her younger counterpart. _"Look, it hasn't completely opened yet."_

_"It's still pretty. I wish we had a rosebush. I wonder…where did it come from?"_

_"Well, sis,"_ Atticus told her, taking her hands, _"Sometimes, God sends us gifts as a message. Do you want to know what I think about this one?"_

_"What?"_

_"I think that the rose represents you. You haven't fully bloomed yet, but you're still beautiful. One day, you'll be as lovely as this rose."_

_"Really?"_

_"Really."_

The memory faded away, taking the warmth of the moment with it. Alexis shivered in the cold and rubbed her arms. She felt trapped in her own mind. Why was it so cold and devoid of color? Why was it so blank and empty? Something was missing.

Even though the moment had been rather childish, rather foolish, there had been a certain charm to it that she could not place her finger on. What was she missing? What was her life lacking?

Family. The word held little meaning to her. What did it mean? Was her family Chazz and Sartorius? Maybe the Society was her family. If it was, why did it feel so cold and impersonal? What did it feel like to have a family? Was that strangely satisfying warmth what it felt like?

Her head hurt. A strange throbbing pain came into her mind, a choking sensation in her throat. A few hot, wet, salty drops fell from her eyes, glistening like crystal. Why did she feel so agonizingly cold? Why did she have this piercing pain through her heart? There was no protection against it, no way to stop it.

The wind blew her golden hair around, whipping it against her damp cheeks. Shivering, she pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged herself for warmth. It did little good. This cold was inside, overtaking her soul.

_"Lex, hey, Lex, are ya there?"_

Her head turned sharply, her amber eyes desperately searching for the owner of the voice. How many times she had agonized over that unseen yet frequently heard voice! Who was he again…an old friend? No, he couldn't be a friend of hers. Not _him_.

_"Lex? You ok"_

Though she parted her lips, the wind took her voice away. She was unable to speak. Tears streamed down her face as she mouthed the words, but they would not be heard. Over and over in her mind…over and over into the wind…

_"Lex…Lex…Lex…"_

Then, there it was, almost like a brick hanging in the air, a name that she had not spoken or heard in eons. "Jaden…"

The name was agreeable on her tongue. It tasted lovely, almost like hot chocolate. Something that was warm AND sweet. Why must she speak of him now? He was enemy to the Society, yet…

_It was that late summer evening that he'd first stolen her heart. Standing on the boats in the water, rocking back and forth, ebbing like the quality of life, she faced him. He was not like the others. He was different, something special. Her heart beat fast seeing him._

_With a cocky grin he told her he was in love. Although she assumed he wasn't serious, her heart jumped. She could not help but hope. Something about those brown eyes, that messy mop of hair, that cheeky almost smirk of his…it drove her absolutely mad. And when he won…he walked away with more than just victory, with more than just Syrus. He had her heart. _

And she had loved him desperately from that day forward, until…until…

When _had_ she stopped?

Gripping her head in frustration, she tried to understand where all these thoughts were coming from. Why did they feel so familiar? The places, the emotions, the faces…all mixed together in a mass of confusion. Her head spun and throbbed harder. She toppled over on her side, trembling. It hurt her deep inside; she felt as though someone had taken a knife and was ripping away at her heart.

"_Lexi!"_

Her head snapped up. That voice! She _knew_ that voice! Relief flooded over her. Finally, someone had come to rescue her from this nightmare.

_He stood in front of her, his black trench coat blowing in the wind from the ocean. He wore a duel disk on his left arm. On the field in front of him were the three Ojamas, his favorite monsters. At the moment, he was proclaiming his everlasting love for her. In the background, Atticus cheered him on while the rest of the group seemed disgusted. And there, in the middle, was her love, Jaden._

_She wanted to tell him how she felt. Her heart ached with eternal pain, eternal longing. However, she had to bite it back. She had to keep her mouth shut. How she wished to cry the bitter tears that stung her eyes! But no, she must keep a brave face. She couldn't let him know, not now in front of all these people and Chazz! Taking a deep breath and swallowing the sick, she continued as she'd brought herself up to--hardened and seemingly indifferent._

_Before she knew what had happened, Chazz was on his knees, sobbing. He was hurting. She told him they could be friends…was that enough to suffice the everlasting burning he felt? Her eyes widened as she realized that this raven haired boy was just as lovestruck as she was. He could understand, he could sympathize, that is, if he knew. She could only smile and appear cheerful on the outside. It was all she could do; her gift to Jaden and herself. Sparing them the hurt was the least she could do._

Was that really what it had been like? Why must these thoughts torment her so? She felt confused, alone, cold. Her heart ached until she thought it'd burst. Unconsciously, she gripped her chest, her breaths ragged and uneven. The glow around her grew brighter and brighter. It was so intense, it hurt. She parted her lips once more, a scream escaping. For a brief moment, all was still. Suddenly, her scream broke the element of seclusion. Everything began to come back into perspective. The spell was broken.

Moaning, she cracked her eyes open. Blinking a bit, she found herself pressed between clean white linen sheets and staring up at white fluorescent lights. She sat up quickly, causing her head to spin once more. White…white was everywhere! The walls were white, the floor was white…White. White. White. She knew of nothing else but white! Feeling overwhelmed, she groaned and pulled the covers over her head. She must hide!

For the first time in what seemed like forever, she heard a real voice. Unlike the others, this was sharp, clear, close. "Alexis?"

Reluctantly, she peeked above the sheets to see Chazz sitting by her bedside. Her cheeks flushed red in shame as she remembered her vision. Had that really been true? No, it must have been the delusions of fever. She still felt hot, and there was sweat beaded on her forehead. It must have been from sickness.

"Are you all right?" Chazz asked in concern.

Numbly, she stood up. She became aware that her legs felt like jelly, they failed to hold her up. She fell into his open arms, trembling and weak.

"What's…happening to me?" She gasped, growing limp. She was too sick and drained to stand or move anymore.

"You're going to be all right." He assured her, placing her back in bed. "You just got a little sick. And…"

He gently touched her cheek. She winced a bit at the pain. Her face still hurt from being smacked so violently.

"That hurts," She whispered, "Stop."

"Aster says Sartorius hit you," Chazz said quietly, running his cool hand over her hot forehead, "Is that true?"

"Aster?" She murmured, her eyes shutting again, "He said that? Why would…" She trailed off, unable to lie. Hurt and sorrow rose in her throat, causing it to tighten.

"Well?"

"Master…it was an accident. It wasn't his fault."

Chazz's usually harsh onyx eyes softened. He regarded her with tender sympathy. "I'm sorry, love," He murmured, leaning down and brushing his lips to her forehead. "You've been through a lot today. Go back to sleep, Ok?"

She grimaced. "Please…don't…just take me back to my room. I just want to go back to my room."

"Are you--?"

"Chazz!" Her face twisted in distress, "Please!"

"Ok, ok," He sighed heavily and scooped her helpless body in his arms, "I'll take you back. Don't you worry; I'm going to take care of you, I promise."

She held her tears in again. "I can't…"

"Can't what?"

"I can't go on like this." She admitted, clutching the sleeves of his white jacket, "Something deep inside hurts…something aches like it needs to surface, but I can't figure out what it is."

He looked down at her, puzzled. "I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"I don't either." She whimpered, "Nevermind. Just hurry up. I'm in so much pain."

"Don't worry, we're almost there. I promise."

The tears refused to be held back. They surfaced to her beautiful amber eyes. Desperately, she tried to hide her face by turning her head. He mustn't know.

He looked down at her with a curious expression written on his face, however, he kept his mouth shut until they reached her room. Once inside, he set her delicately on the bed, and covered her with the sheets. She sighed in relief, feeling the darkness envelop her.

"Are you Ok now?"

She looked up, the moonlight creeping from between the blinds and highlighting her golden eyes. "Well…"

"You're not Ok are you?"

"No."

He sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong? Are you still thinking about what happened?"

Biting her lip, she nodded. "I can't help it. I'm hurt. Why would he do this? I'm confused."

"It's all right. I understand how you feel." He placed a hand on the top of her head, tousling her hair.

"Chazz…" She sniffed before continuing, "My necklace…"

"Oh, I almost forgot." He reached into his pocket and produced the necklace, which he had repaired. He gently reached around her thin neck and clasped it, watching as it fell upon her soft breasts. "I fixed it for you. I'm sorry about what happened. What exactly has been going on between you and Sartorius? I know you wouldn't tell me last time but…will you tell me now?"

She took a deep breath. Finally, she nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. "Chazz…the truth is…I love him. More than the rest of the Society members. In fact, I'm in love with him, deeply in love with him. I don't know what it is about him…I just love him. To tell the truth, I love him as much as I used to love Jaden--" She stopped, swallowing her words. She had just revealed to him a piece of information that she had not even wanted to admit to herself, much less to him. That information was meant to be locked in her heart for all of eternity.

His eyes widened. "Jaden?" He whispered, "Slacker? You loved…him? You were in love with Jaden Yuki?"

"Jaden Yuki," She whispered, tasting the words. Even now, under the strong veil of the Light, the words still fell lightly and sweetly from her tongue like honey. "I'm sorry you had to hear that. It's just an old…thing of mine and I don't feel that way…anymore." She paused and swallowed hard. The words were painful for her to hear, much less speak, "You weren't supposed to know. I wanted to keep it to myself forever. I didn't want to hurt you, nor did I want to make anyone uncomfortable. That's why I kept this, as well as my love for Master Sartorius, a secret. And you mustn't tell anyone."

"I won't."  
There was a long silence. Finally, "Chazz, you believe me when I say I love Master, right?"

Chazz nodded.

"And do you believe he really meant that slap?"

"No," Chazz said softly, "He probably feels badly about it. Don't worry. All will be better in the morning." He rose to his feet, his eyes on the floor. "I must be going now. Sartorius will need me shortly."

"All right."

"Will you be fine on your own?"

She nodded, even though her heart was saying no. She wouldn't be all right. She needed him to stay and reassure her.

Even though he knew, of this she was sure, he headed for the door. Slowly, he turned and cast her a sorrowful gaze. "Alexis, since we're being so honest here…I still love you."

Her heart sank. "Oh, Chazz," She whispered, her eyes softening, filled with compassion, "Why do we all have to feel like this? Why must it hurt?"

"That's life," He muttered, shrugging it off, "But just know, if you ever need anything, I'm here. I know you will never feel the same about me…but don't hesitate to come to me. I'll take care of you if no one else will, no matter what."

"You'd do that?" She blinked in disbelief, "Oh, Chazz, why?"

"Because," He whispered, his eyes filling with tears that he tried desperately to hold back, "I love you. You're my friend. You're like family, only closer. I would do anything for you."

Her throat tightened again as he shut the door. "Family," She said softly to herself, "Family…"

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**A/N: Well, that made little sense. I mean, I like it, but I'm not sure if you'll get it…I might have made myself less than clear again. Sorry for that. T.T **


	7. Chapter 7: Decision

**A/N: Well, I must say, I'm pleased with the way this fic is turning out. And I hope you enjoy it too. I will try my best to update sooner and not make it as confusing.**

**Also, I changed my mind about something I said in an earlier author's note. But I'm not going to tell you what that is yet. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 7: Decision

Alexis lay in bed, staring at the rain falling outside her window. It had been three days since Sartorius had struck her, three days since the memories had begun to haunt her…three days locked in her room. Even now, when she felt as though her heart would burst, she would not allow herself to leave her room. Truth be told, she was far more afraid of what was outside than living a life completely isolated.

Chazz had come by a few times, trying to convince her to come out; however, not once had she even acknowledged that she was inside and alive. She hoped that he'd give up eventually. As of this point, he had not. His attempts were futile, though. She was not coming out any time soon.

Depression hung over her like a dark cloud. She was completely enshrouded by it; it controlled every aspect of her pitiful existence. Never had she been so overtaken by a simple emotion, yet, however simple it might be, it was enough to bring her down to her knees.

Sitting upright, she glanced around the room with nervous anxiety. Silence met her alerted ears. Slowly, cautiously, she stood up and wandered about the room. Her feet brought her to the window. She peered outside through the drapes, taking care as to not let anyone see her silhouette. Squinting her eyes, she tried to make sense of the figure standing beneath her. At first, she couldn't quite tell who it was. Perhaps it was…could it really be…?

"Atticus," She breathed, catching hold of the curtains. The name surprised her. Was he real? Did she even know him?

She watched as he circled around to the front and began to ascend the steps. He wasn't really trying to enter the White Dorm, now, was he? Apparently, he was. She watched as he stepped inside, then disappeared from her sight.

As she stepped back from the window, letting the curtain fall back in place, she became aware of her rapidly beating heart. Trembling, she collapsed to the floor. Why was she so weak? This wasn't like her at all. What was troubling her so?

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. She gritted her teeth, silently commanding herself to stay quiet. She would not give any indication that she was in the room. Whoever was on the other side would have to leave sometime.

"Sissy?" Came a concerned voice, "Are you in there?"

Even though she'd been determined to remain quiet, she found herself almost choking on her tears, almost ready to give in. "Atticus," The name escaped her lips in a hoarse whisper before she had time to catch it, "Atticus…I need you." She lifted her hand to her mouth. Had she really spoken his name? No, she did not know him. She never had.

"Sissy! You're alive!" His voice was flooded with relief. "Please, let me in so I can see if you're all right…I heard what happened. Aster told me."

"Aster..." She breathed, almost in a daze. The name was unfamiliar to her; already she had forgotten about him completely.

"Yes, now, can I come in?"

Numbly, she rose to her feet. She automatically started to undo the deadbolts on her door, then opened it a crack. Her brother's chocolate eyes met her golden ones, and in one brief moment, her entire past came flooding back to her. Immediately, she flew into his arms, hurting and, for once in her life, utterly helpless.

He said nothing for a moment, only held her and pat her back, rubbing it. Then, he led her back into her room and shut the door, locking it behind him.

"We can't let anyone know I'm in here with you," He whispered, "Otherwise, they'll kick me out. Understand?"

She nodded, seating herself comfortably amongst the cushions of the plush couch. He followed suit after barricading the door with a chest of drawers. Propping his cheek on his hand, he stared into her eyes, a mournful expression drawing his face.

"Lex, you need to let this cult go."

Silence filled the room in a most uncomfortable manner. How was she to answer to such an unexpected comment? And such an arguable one at that. He had dared to tread upon the Society's turf, talk unfavorably about her beliefs, and defy Master Sartorius in one day? This was too much; however, strangely, she did not become overly upset. Rather, she was calm and relieved. In a sense, her reaction alarmed her. Why was she so accepting of this visit? Why was she so complacent now? So greatly unperturbed by his views of such a controversial topic? It made absolutely no sense to her.

"Cult?" She could barely choke the word out. It hung heavy in the air, bringing back a sense of tension.

"Yes, that's what I said. Can't you tell you're being taken advantage of? Can't you see what it's doing to you?"  
"Cult?" She breathed the word again, her mouth turning sharply downward. "How dare you!"

"You're not happy, Alexis. I can tell. You're always so miserable. Just admit it already. You're hurting, you're in pain. Since you've joined, you haven't been yourself at all. It's almost like you're a different person. It scares me."

She swallowed hard, her eyes glued to the floor. Tears blurred her vision. Why was she so hurt? Why did she feel as though she'd been cold her entire life? She should be happy in the Society; that was its purpose, wasn't it? To bring joy back to the world? Why, then, was it having the opposite effect on her? Squeezing her eyes shut, she breathed deeply and asked with much difficulty, "Why is it…that everyone has told me these same words which you speak to me now? Even Chazz, who is a fellow member, has warned me and advised escape. The hypocrite!"

"Perhaps you should take his advice. After all, he does understand what he's talking about. And he's Sartorius right hand man. He, of all the members of the Society, knows what's going on deeper, down to the very politics behind it. Don't you see? This isn't about religion, it's not about peace and prosperity; rather, it's about economical and political gain! And Sartorius, this pitiful mortal which you regard as master, is nothing more than a pawn of a greater, unperceivable power, far beyond the reaches of human comprehension. Just think about it. Isn't it true?"

"Just shut up!" Alexis commanded, sinking deeper into the couch cushions, holding her aching head in her hands, "I never wanted things to end up so badly…I was just trying…I just wanted to do what was best…I just wanted him to…think favorably of me too."

"What are you talking about now? Get out before it's too late! Forget about your feelings. This Society is going to go down, and when it does, it's not going easily. And it will bring you down with it! You need to leave now, before it's too late. I know even Chazz wants you too. I met him down in the hall. He's awfully worried about you; he encouraged this discussion we're having now. Alexis, Chazz wants you to leave the Society."

"But--"

Atticus placed a finger on her lips to silence her, then leaned forward and said quietly, "As much as he loves to have you by his side, he understands the risk you're taking. He told me that you shouldn't worry; he'll take care of everything for you. All right? He'll handle the Society and your duties; any matters of importance. All he asks--no, commands--is that you get out and leave now while you can."

She gasped sharply at his words. Could it really be true? Did Chazz really want her to leave? No, it couldn't be true. The words that he spoke were lies. Narrowing her eyes, she seethed through her teeth, "Chazz would never say such a thing. I don't take too kindly to your dishonestly. The Society does not believe in keeping things in the dark or deceiving others. I suggest you get out."

Atticus' eyes narrowed as well. "Alexis," He said quietly, yet with a sense of authority, "Sartorius says that so that you won't suspect that he is practicing that which he preaches against. He's the hypocrite. And so are you."

"What do you mean?" Alexis snapped, her face reddening with anger.

"You claim to be able to care for yourself and make decisions of your own; however, here you are allowing Sartorius and a set of established rules to dictate every move you make, every bite you eat, every bit of clothing on your back. You can't take care of yourself. You can't live for yourself. You let the Society decide everything for you. What a shame and a disgrace. The old Alexis would never have stood for it."

"The old Alexis is gone!" She spat, the words echoing off the walls. Then, dropping her voice to a near whisper, "I do not allow others to choose for me. I choose for myself. I chose this path, and I shall continue down it. You're just trying to get me to stray from my beliefs. Well, I'll have you know that it's not working. And no I won't leave the Society. You can forget about that. Why don't you just go on? Why can't you just accept it? As much as I love you, I don't think I want you here if you're going to be preaching to me about how wrong I am in every choice I make."

"But that's just it," He protested, "It's NOT your choice. None of this was. Don't you see that Chazz--"

"Shut up! Be gone. I wish for you to leave." She stood and held the door open for him. "Get out."

Atticus did not budge. Their eyes remained locked as they stared one another down. The tension grew heavier, so much so that she found it hard to breathe. Still, she kept to her ground and refused to be moved.

"Alexis…" Atticus said quietly, "I want you to leave. Please. Do it for me."

She opened her mouth then shut it several times, unable to form any comprehensible words. She bit her lip, uncertain of what she should do. Part of her was telling her to leave, part of her was telling her to stay.

"Do you really think you're doing Sartorius a favor," Atticus asked, "by staying in the Society? He needs your help. If you really love him, you'll leave and you'll save him. If you really care, you'll abandon him in order to save him."

Alexis' eyes filled with tears. "No," She whispered, sinking to the floor, "No…"

Atticus stepped closer to her. "Listen to me; do you think Sartorius would want this? That he'd want for you to be so hurt? It's obvious he cares about you deep inside. However, he's unable to do a thing because he's possessed. You need to stop him. You're the only one who can."

Alexis shook her head. "I--"

"Don't." Atticus held up a hand. "Don't protest any more. Just do what's right. Do it for his sake. I know that you want to stay by his side because you care…well, sometimes you have to abandon a person in order to wake them up. You hurt them because you love them."

She bit her lip and pondered this. Deep inside, she knew his words were true. For a moment, she debated with herself. She tried to think of how she wanted to handle this. Should she…?

"I've got to talk to Chazz," She murmured, opening the door, "I'm sorry, Atticus, but this is really important."

"I understand." Atticus said softly, watching as she rushed down the hall.

---------------------------------------------------------

Alexis wrung her hands nervously as she approached the beach, looking for Chazz. Just as she'd predicted, there he was, sitting in the sand and watching the tide go in and out. Slowly, she stepped over to him, though he didn't notice her yet. He sighed heavily and pulled his knees closer to his chest, looking downcast.

"Chazz," She whispered very softly, sitting next to him, "Can I talk to you?"

He jumped a bit, startled. "Oh, yeah, of course."

She leaned against his shoulder, shivering. "I…I'm thinking about leaving the Society."

For the first time since she'd arrived, he looked at her. His steel gray gaze cut through her; however, it was not in an uncomfortable manner. Relief washed over his features. "Good. Please do."

"So you really want me to leave?" She blinked, taken aback.

"Of course I do! This is no place for a lady such as you. You've already been humbled…by that I mean what Sartorius did to you--everything he did to you. I don't want him to hurt you like that. I want you to get out. I know it's a little late but…I promise to take care of everything for you."

"Thanks," She murmured, then fell silent for a moment, debating on whether she should ask the question that was lingering in her mind. Finally: "Chazzy?"

He looked back down at her, surprised by the nickname. "What is it?"

She clutched his jacket, drawing neared to him. "Do you hate him--or me--for what happened between us? Do you hate that he stole my virginity?"

Chazz squeezed his eyes shut, as though he were in pain. He spoke, his voice shaking. "He did WHAT?!"

Alexis grimaced. She'd forgotten that she hadn't told him that part of the story. "Well, I, um…"

She let out a little cry of surprise as he engulfed her in his arms, holding her tight against his chest. "Now you REALLY have to leave. I can't have him playing with you like that."

"But I--"

"NO!" Chazz clutched her tighter to him, "How could he? Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Well, I…um…it's not exactly any of your business…"

"What?! Alexis, I love you to pieces! It's my responsibility to keep you safe. I promised Atticus that nothing like this would happen! I promised myself! And now…"

"Well, it's MY decision," She said bitterly, feeling indignation rising in her throat, "I was the one who told him he could."  
"Only because he made you feel like you had to! Do you really think he loves you? If he treats you like that?" His eyes entreated her as they began to fill with tears.

She bit her lip hard, her own eyes filling with tears. "I…guess not," Her voice wavered, disappointment and hurt washing over her. "Well, if he doesn't love me, then I don't want to live."

"No, Lex, I didn't mean…I never meant for you to…I'm just saying."

"Are you trying to kill me?" She hissed, now overcome by anger, "Do you want me to be hurt? Or are you just being selfish, wanting me for yourself?"

"I care about you!" He snapped, "And yes, I did want to be your first time but…I knew it wasn't going to happen. I just never thought that you'd allow yourself to get so caught up in emotion that you'd make such a silly mistake!"

"Is that what this is now? A silly mistake?"

"Yes." He dropped his voice again, looking drained. "You know what? Nevermind. Maybe I'm the fool. Maybe I care too much." He rose to his feet and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Alexis grabbed the edge of his jacket, her eyes pleading with him. "Chazz, I don't know what to do. You can't just leave me now! You have to help me."

"Do you really want my help?" He asked, throwing an angry glance over his shoulder, "Because if you don't…I don't understand you at all. Just a second ago you were mad at me. You thought I was wrong. And now…"

"So I'm fickle, Ok? Can you blame me for being indecisive or scared?"

"I guess not."

"Please…help me." She gripped the edge of his jacket harder, and whispered again, "Please…tell me what I should do."

He shifted uncomfortably, not willing himself to look at her. His dark charcoal eyes stared out to the ocean, burning with rage. Slowly, he offered his hand to her.

Confused, she took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Still, he avoided her gaze. However, he did not release her hand, only allowed it to drop by his side as he began to lead her away. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed his hand, wondering what he would decide. She was leaving it completely up to him now. She trusted him enough. After all, he was her only true friend in the Society. He would have to take care of her when she needed his help.

"It's getting late," He murmured, his voice sounding a little bitter, "We should go back to the dorm."

Throwing a glance back at the sunset, she nodded. She kept her mouth shut as she followed him down the hall. Then, just before the reached her room, she stopped.

"What's wrong now?" He asked, sighing heavily.

"I can't go back," She told him, determined, "I just can't do it."

"Can't go back….?"

"Take me to the Slifer dorm."

"I can't do that. We'd be caught. What do you think you'd accomplish?"

"Well, it's not the White dorm. It's not where Sart--"

He held up a hand to silence her. Voices were approaching from down the hall. Quickly, he jerked her around the corner and into a nearby closet. He could only crack the door for fear that it'd make too much noise being closed.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you making me?" Sartorius' voice came.

_"It's only part of the plan. You have no other choice."_

Alexis looked up at Chazz, confused. Why was Sartorius talking to himself? Did he have some sort of split personality?

"There must be another way. You can't do this."

_"It seems as though I am. Peace, dear friend."_

"You are no friend of mine. Be gone!"

_"Silence you wretched fool. It seems as though you have no choice. You must allow me to inhabit you. After all, I am in control of your mind and body at this moment."_

"Yes, but I--"

_"Wait; do you sense another's presence?"_

"We are in a dorm…"

_"No, a presence lingering nearby…listening…"_

The silence that followed was terrible. It seemed to last forever. Alexis clung tighter to Chazz, squeezing her eyes shut and hoping with all her heart that he would not open the door. Footsteps approached the closet. Right before he could push the door open, however, there was a new voice.

"Master Sartorius," Bastion called, "You are needed in the main room. Aster has requested to see you."

"Very well," Sartorius growled, "I suppose I have to oblige." That having been said, he walked away, his footsteps fading as he walked down the hall.

Alexis breathed a sigh of relief. "That was too close."

Chazz only nodded and peered out the door. Seeing that it was, indeed, safe, he led Alexis out of the closet and down the hall again. "Still want to go to the Slifer dorm?"

She shook her head. "Truthfully, I'm too afraid."

"Well, then, where will you go? Back to your room?"

Once more, she shook her head. "No…I think…I want to go back to your room."

His eyes widened. "What?"

She took a deep breath. "Chazz, I love Sartorius but…I'm afraid of him. I can't stand to spend the night on my own. I know he knows I was in the closet. There's no telling what he'll do to me. I need you to make sure he doesn't kill me or something."

"Then he doesn't love you."

"What do you mean?"

"If he really loved you, then you wouldn't have to worry about him hurting you. You'd trust him and be able to go to him for protection. Instead, you have to come to me."

"But that's because you…" She trailed off, realization entering her fogged brain. Her hand flew to her mouth as she began to tremble. "Oh no…"

"I'm sorry but…it's true."

Her eyes darted around the hall. Then, she looked back up at him. "In that case, it really doesn't matter anymore. I'm sorry I gave so much to him. If he doesn't really love me…then it doesn't matter what I do now. Come."

He didn't question her, only followed her back to his room. She shut the door and sat on his bed, biting her lip.

"Chazz, I won't stay a second longer. I'm leaving the Society. I can't stand it anymore; it hurts too much."

His eyes softened. "That a girl. But…is there anything I can do to make the pain lessen?"

She took a deep breath, then nodded. "I'm so sick of white. Please, let's just rid of these wretched garments."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting that we…"

"Just this once. Please." Her eyes begged him. "Just take them off. We don't have to look. I just don't want you to wear them anymore."

"You want me to leave the Society?"

She shook her head, her eyes on the floor. "No, not yet."

"Lex…I get the feeling that this is not all you want me to do. Just spit it out."

She gripped his sheets, squeezing her eyes shut, bitterness flooding her soul. "Every time I've made love to him," She seethed through her teeth, "I gave a part of myself to him…and a part of me died. Do you understand? He killed me! He hates me. I don't want to be treated like that. I love him so much…but…I wish that he hadn't stolen my virginity. I rather wish you had instead. At least the experience wouldn't have been so painful."

He sat next to her. "Oh, Lexi, how I wish I could've been your first, too. I've already told you that."

"I've never had a pleasant experience with that man." She swallowed hard, shaking violently from fury. "He's done nothing but hurt me."

"So what do you want me to do about it?"

She looked up at him, her amber eyes meeting his charcoal ones. "Please, undo the damage done. Fix it."

"How can I do that?" He asked, his brow furrowing in absolute frustration. "I can't do a thing! I don't know what to do."

"Chazz, please, just this once…"

"Just this once what?"

"Don't think I'm a bad person. Don't blame me."

"No one's blaming you."

"Don't tell!"

"What are you even talking about? How can I tell if I don't understand you?"

"Just promise you won't tell a soul!" She demanded, growing angrier.

"All right, all right, sheesh. I won't tell."

"Good." She seemed satisfied. "I wish to regain my dignity."

"And how exactly are you going to do that? I'm kind of lost here."

"I don't want to be reduced to someone's sex kitten!" She spat, "I want to mean something to someone. I want to be able to mean it."

"Well, go right ahead. Nothing's in your way." He looked a bit annoyed with her.

"Chazzy…" She rolled her eyes. "Don't you get it?"

"Not really. You're being less than clear."

"I want to have sex with someone who really cares about me!" She snapped, "And who means it! And who loves me…" Her eyes dropped to the floor, her arms crossed over her chest in self-consciousness. "What am I talking about? I'm sorry…I shouldn't be saying such things around you." Here, she gave a little laugh, "You probably think I'm teasing you."

"Well, I'm sure you don't mean it." He told her, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Chazz…"

"What?"

"I…" She paused, as though in a great deal of agony. Her inner battle raged on, her indecisiveness waxed.

He watched as she stood and paced for a moment, then stepped over to the window and looked out at the moon. A small smile came to her face at the sight of the night sky.

"The darkness…it's so beautiful." Laughing softly, she shut the drapes. "I'm so sick of daylight. I'm so sick of white. I'm so sick of these clothes and the burden that's been placed on me."

He raised an eyebrow questioningly. In response, she unsnapped the button on her jacket and opened it. He eyed her suspiciously as she tossed it aside.

"Is this some sort of test?"

"No," She answered, taking her boots off, then her shirt, a little hastily. "I can't stand these clothes…"

Feeling sicker, she ripped her skirt off and threw it aside as well, almost as though she were afraid of it. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to cover up a bit. Now, she felt slightly self conscious again.

Slowly, he began to understand. Blushing, he removed his jacket, then his shirt. She looked at him as though to encourage him to continue. Begrudgingly, he unbuckled his belt and let his pants fall at his feet.

"There. Better?" He asked, kicking the unwanted clothing beneath the bed.

She nodded and stepped over to him. She looked up into his face, her eyes now filled with fright.

"You were so wild," He muttered, "And now look at you! Reduced to a little puddle…are you really that scared to be even partly undressed with me?"

She averted her eyes, her cheeks flushing with red. "I suppose…"

"Well, you don't have to. Here." He offered her a T-shirt from his closet.

She shook her head. "No. Please, just do what I want you to."

"And that would be…?"

Shyly, she tugged at his boxers. His eyes widened. At first, he seemed too startled to react. However, he soon relaxed and allowed her to pull them down. Blushing, he reached around her back and unhooked her bra. She buried her face in his shoulder, beginning to question whether or not she really wanted him to. As his hands moved to her hips to remove her panties, she grabbed his wrists.

"Do you want me to stop?" He asked, confused.

She squeezed his wrists, her nails digging into his skin. Finally, she shook her head. "Just be kind to me about it, Ok? And don't tell anyone. And don't expect this again. I just need you to help me. I need you to assure me that I can trust you with anything."

He failed to respond to her comment, only slipped her panties down. He looked surprised again as he gazed upon her unclothed figure. She, however, refused to look at him for the moment.

"Don't be shy," He told her, stroking her cheek. "You can look at me."

She shook her head. "I'm violating you. I'm taking what should belong to your future wife…"

"Then why are you doing this?" He asked, bewildered, "You're not making much sense now. If it really bothers you that much…" He reached down and picked up his boxers. She seized his wrist, stopping him.

"No, wait…please…"

"What do you want from me? Are you just playing with me?"

"No, I…I want to…I've already been spoiled but you…"

"Yes, I'm a virgin," He said dryly.

"Don't you want to save it?" She bit her lip anxiously.

"You're REALLY confusing me," He told her, "You're saying one thing but…you're doing the opposite." He looked down at her hand, which was still clutching his wrist. "Please make up your mind. What if you're my future wife?"

"No amount of consolation will do," She murmured, "We both know that we're not going to get married. We both know that this is nothing but a-a…"

"One night stand?" He whispered, drawing nearer to her.

She nodded, closing her eyes tightly. "That sounds so bad. I can't do this knowing that we're not going to do it again…"

"But we can do it again," He insisted.

"I don't know if I have the guts. This is so slutty…"

"No, it's not," He assured her, "Relax."

"Oh, to hell with it all." She whimpered, "Just do it."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," She choked out, holding back the tears.

"You're hurting so badly…" He muttered, touching her cheek again.

"Just get it over with!" She begged, "Please don't drag this out any longer. It's so unbearable. Just do what you want to me!"

"How can I take advantage of you like that?" He demanded, his arms slipping around her waist. "You don't know what you want. You're going to regret this."

"I know I will," She whispered, "Which is why I won't give myself the chance to regret it."

"What the…that makes even less sense than--"

She cut him off by throwing her arms around his neck and gluing her mouth to his. A few tears spilled over; her face twisted in pain. At first, he seemed hesitant to show her the same amount of affection. However, once he grew accustomed to it, he began to return her kiss. She pushed him down to the bed, feeling as though she were almost about to rape him. Surely he was unwilling after all that she'd confessed to him. Contrary to her belief, though, he did not put up a struggle. He seemed guilty but he did nothing to stop her.

They kissed feverishly for several long minutes. Then, he pulled the sheets up over them, covering their exposed bodies. He planted kisses down her neck, stopping just above her breasts. She gave him a little nod, permitting him to go further. He gently touched his lips to her nipple. Her body jolted in response, her heart thumped harder. Gingerly, he took her nipple in his mouth and sucked on it. She allowed her hands to go into his hair, pressing his face closer. She stared up at the ceiling, overtaken by fear. However, she did not stop him.

He kissed her down to her stomach, stopping at her navel. He glanced up at her as though to ask permission to keep going. She nodded in affirmation once more. Shyly, he continued to kiss down her body. The way he treated her, she decided, would be the real test.

When his lips brushed against her womanhood, she almost hit him. She almost told him to stop. Nevertheless, she only gritted her teeth and let him kiss her. Seeing that he was gentle, she figured she could trust him. Giving his face a little smack, she tried to call his attention.

Confused, he looked up at her. "Did I do something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, but…I want you to stop."

"What?" He stared at her. "After all this?"

She nodded. "Can he do it?" She wondered, biting her lip.

Looking as though it were quite difficult and as though it pained him greatly, he sat up. Slowly, he reached for the T-shirt that he'd offered her and started to pull it on. She watched for a moment, then felt sorry for him.

"I'm such a jerk."

He looked over at her, all the more puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I'm playing with you. Sorry," She grumbled, taking hold of his shirt. "I wanted to see if you really cared. Since you seem to care more than I thought…go ahead."

He frowned. "Would you stop testing me? Stop playing with me! I won't go through with it, Ok? Because I know you're just going to tell me to knock it off."

"Have I pushed it too far?" She wondered, growing worried. Seeing his annoyed expression, she realized she had. There had to be some way that she could make up for it. Already, he had finished dressing in his T-shirt and boxers, and was reaching for another shirt for her. Desperate, she climbed onto his lap and grinded against his erection.

"What are you doing?!"

She blushed. "Please, I'm sorry. Just do it. I'll let you this time. I swear."

He growled something under his breath, yet remained unmoved. It was apparent that he wasn't going to listen to her. He didn't believe her.

Growing more desperate, she let her hand slide into his boxers. She grasped his length, causing him to jolt. He glared at her warningly, yet seemed more docile. She gently squeezed, causing him to give a small moan. He lay back on the bed, allowing her to touch him.

"There. Isn't that better?"

"I guess," He grumbled, his face red.

She gave him a pleading look. "Are you still mad at me?"

"No."

"Then will you…"

"Fine." His face turned redder as he once more discarded his clothing. "Don't be a tease this time. Otherwise, I'll kick you out for being mean to me."

"You wouldn't really would you?"

"No." He admitted, sulking.

She lay back, pulling him down with her. Slowly, he eased on top of her. Then, looking straight into her eyes and seeing that she didn't mind, he started to enter her. She winced a bit, more from fear than from any pain. Awkwardly, he began to move, trying to thrust gently yet still at a steady pace. Deciding to help him out a bit, she began to move as well, trying to pleasure him as payment for what he was doing for her. Guilt flooded over her as she thought about Sartorius. How could she have betrayed him? Maybe because he had betrayed her first.

Chazz moaned softly as she pressed harder against him. She ran her hands down his back, her eyes half closing. It did feel good to have him do this and mean it. However, it didn't feel good knowing what she had to do afterwards. She clenched her teeth, feeling her heart break.

Trying to ease her pain, she rolled him over so that she was on top. She was in control. It did little good, though. The guilt overwhelmed her. She had to finish what she'd started though. She could only hope that he'd climax soon.

Finally, unable to stand it any longer: "Oh, please hurry up!"

He looked injured. "Is it really that unpleasant?"

"The guilt is suffocating me!" She told him, beginning to cry. "I'm so sorry, Chazz. I'm SO sorry. I should have never…"

"Shhh," He tried to hush her. "It's all right. It's Ok. I don't blame you. I understood why you did it from the start, yet I still agreed to it. It's my fault."

"No," She wailed, "It's NOT your fault. I tempted you. I'm SO sorry."

"It's Ok, it's Ok. I'm not mad." He stroked her hair and rubbed her back, trying to soothe her. "I don't mind doing this for you."

"But," She protested, "You lost your virginity. Will anyone forgive you for that? Will anyone want you for that?" She didn't stop to think about how hurtful her words were.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Even if I don't find anyone because of it, it's Ok anyway."

"But you're not helping me. You're hurting me!"

He froze. "I'm sorry…" Swallowing hard, he started to pull out and push her away. His eyes grew colder as he did so.

She grasped his wrists again. "No, just finish. Please just finish." She struggled with him until he gave in.

Silence filled the room again as they resumed. However, it was less than pleasant. Both were stressed and anxious. They even began to grow a bit rough with each other as their worry increased.

She gasped and began to call out his name as she felt her body giving in. He tensed up as his body reacted as well. They clung tightly to one another as he finally came.

They lay still for a moment, panting. Finally, she shoved him away and jumped up, still tangled in the sheet. She simply ripped the sheet from the bed as she hurried towards the window. Confused, he followed her. She shoved him away.

"No."

Opening the window, she carefully stepped out onto the ledge. His eyes widened. "Alexis…"

Ignoring him, she balanced herself on the edge of the roof and began to walk along it, as though she were oblivious to the fact that she could fall and die. The wind whipped the sheet around her thin frame, outlining it. She continued to step along the roof, now in a daze. She did not know where her feet were taking her.

"Alexis, please stop," He called, stepping out after her. It didn't matter to him that he was still undressed; all that mattered to him was that he saved her.

Still oblivious to him, she stopped at the end of the roof and looked down. The ground seemed far beneath her, so far away…Trembling, she lifted her foot and held it over the edge, beginning to step over the side. Chazz lunged just as she began to fall and caught her around the waist. He barely managed to save her from certain death.

"Alexis…" He gasped, horrified, "You did that on purpose!"

She smiled sickly up at him. "So what if I did? I've sinned against love. I've done an unspeakable deed. Sartorius would never forgive me. After all, he doesn't love me. And if he doesn't love me, then I don't want to live."

Chazz pulled her back on the roof, hugging her tightly. He cried as he clung to her, begging her to change her mind. Numbly, she melted in his arms. She couldn't hurt him, now could she? He was her only friend in the world, the only one who loved her more than his own life. If that were the case, then what was she really supposed to do? Should she live, or should she die? Feeling sicker, she realized that it was not in her place to make that decision anymore.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I guess things did get sexual between them. That's what I changed my mind about. --;; But believe me, despite that, they're more or less just friends. She still loves Sartorius obviously. She just made a big mistake…yay drama?**


	8. Chapter 8: Resentment

**A/N: Well, first off, I just wanted to let you know right now that I'm NOT planning on changing the pairing. Just thought you should be assured about that. I didn't expect last chapter's shocker either…it sort of just happened. Oh well. More problems to work around.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

* * *

Chapter 8: Resentment

Alexis stole out into the hall, trying to make her escape. Since it was early in the morning, she figured she could make it past Sartorius and the other Society members. It didn't matter, really, how she did it. All that mattered was that she tore free from her bonds.

Once she'd found the entrance, she paused and turned back to look sadly at Sartorius' door. Maybe just one more visit could cause her some good. Feeling bitter hurt at the thought of how she'd betrayed him, she slipped down the hall and stopped at his door. Her hand ran over the smooth grain of the dark wood, then dropped by her side. Her eyes filled with tears at the thought of losing him. Sighing heavily, filled with utter defeat and depression, she pushed the door open and dared to look in his room. Quietly, she slipped inside and shut the door behind her.

Wordlessly, she approached his bed and perched on the edge, gazing down upon him. Her golden eyes softened as she watched him sleep peacefully. Carefully, she placed her hand on his cheek and stroked it gently. Then, leaning down, touching his cool forehead with a trembling hand, she let her lips graze his in a gentle kiss. A murmured apology escaped her lips as she kissed his face again. How she hated to leave him and the Society behind! But was she honestly doing them a favor by staying? By hurting other people? No, she wasn't. She must be strong and leave him behind. Otherwise, they'd both end up worse off than before.

Sighing, she rose to her feet and stepped over to his desk. A tear dropped down and fell upon some papers as she reached around and unclasped the necklace, then dropped it to the carpet. Sniffing, she picked up a piece of parchment and a fountain pen, and began to write a short note. She stopped before she was finished, angrily crumpled it up, and threw it in the trash can.

Seeing he was stirring from his sleep, she rushed out the door and shut it, then hurried out the dorm entrance. She did not stop once she'd begun. She ran all the way to the Slifer dorm, then collapsed against the wall, tears streaming steadily down her face. Why did she have to love him more than her very life? Did she really have to abandon him? Life had been more than cruel to her.

She held her head in her hands, curling up against the wall, and mourned her loss. She had left him behind; she'd left the entire Society behind, betrayed them. Would they ever accept her back if she asked? Should she dare to even think about returning when she'd committed the most heinous crime of all? Perhaps it would be better if she were put to immediate death for her actions.

Her tears dropped to the soil, unnoticed by her due to her immense grief. Her sobs racked her body; she found it difficult to breathe. She did not know just how loudly she was crying out.

After several minutes, she became aware of another presence. Pulling her head out of her knees, she saw a shadow falling across her. Fearfully, she gazed up. The rising sun only outlined his figure; he was a mere silhouette. She bit her lip to hold back the gasp that was rising in her throat. Could he be…her savior? Her answer? Perhaps he could find the compassion in his heart to aid her in her time of need.

She only stared up at him. The wind blew his brown hair, whipping it against his face gently. His eyes regarded her with gentle concern, the kindest expression she'd seen in eons on his face. Kneeling down, he stared into her eyes, soft chocolate brown against shimmering amber gold. He took her hands in his and squeezed them. Neither spoke for the moment.

She realized that he understood she was in the most unimaginable pain. For this, she was grateful. Perhaps he wasn't as dimwitted as she'd have liked to believe. Perhaps it had been her bitter resentment of his obvious disregard and discomfort that caused her to overlook his true understanding of the world around him. Then again, it could have all been due to her heartbreak.

Taking her face in his hands, he forced her to look upon him once more. She gritted her teeth, her eyes tearing up. Finally, he brought her close in his arms and embraced her tightly.

"Alexis…"

She swallowed hard, then licked her lips. She tried to open her mouth to say his name, but it caught in her throat. Figuring this was a sign that she should not accept his comfort and cause herself more trouble, she tried to pull away from him. However, he held fast, determined. He would not allow her to self destruct.

Eventually, she could not help but give in. Slowly, her arms slipped around his waist, and she held him back, placing her chin on his shoulder. The tears fell to his red jacket as she held him closer, burying her nose in his soft hair.

"I'm sorry," He told her, squeezing tighter, "I should've never abandoned you. I wasn't a very good friend. But I promise I'll make up for it."

She sniffed and nodded. "I know you didn't mean it…Jaden."

"I thought you…"

"I'm done with the Society." She told him, sniffing. "I'm leaving them."

He looked down at her in disbelief momentarily, then smiled and laughed a bit. "That's great! I'm so glad. We really missed you." He hugged her again and helped her to her feet. "If you need any help with anything…I'm here, Ok?"

She just followed him as he went back inside the dorm. "I'll stay here, I suppose. I mean, all the Obelisk dorms are the White dorms now…"

"You can stay in Chazz's old room," He told her, then, looked a bit downcast. "How is he, anyway?"

She froze, then sighed heavily. "Not so good. He can't really leave. And something tells me he won't ever leave. But that's another story…"

He looked puzzled. "Well, you can tell me."

She shook her head. "He just can't come back…he can never come back. At least not alive. If he did…he'd be killed. After all, he and I have betrayed Sartorius…" She swallowed hard and squeezed her eyes shut in pain before continuing, "And he has to take the blame so I might escape…"

Jaden grabbed her shoulders, his brow furrowed in concern. "Hey, Lex, don't worry about it, Ok? We can save him too. Just leave it to me."

"You don't understand, Jaden," She murmured, "I have no desire to be reminded of my mistakes. Neither does he. We both agreed that it would be better for him to stay behind and take the blame. He wants to do it for me."

Dizziness overwhelmed her all of the sudden. She fell against the wall, then began to slide down to the floor. Quickly, he grasped her shoulders and steadied her.

"Easy there. You look really tired. I'll just take you to your room, Ok?"

She nodded and allowed him to place his arm around her waist and lead her back to the room. Once inside, she collapsed on the green couch that occupied the corner. He left the room, then returned with some of her things. Gladly, she accepted them.

"Jaden, I'm going to go shower and change. I want you to stay," She took a deep breath before continuing, "I want to tell you everything that you need to know about what happened."

"Ok, well, in that case, I'll get the others." He turned and started to walk out. Quickly, she grasped his shoulder and stopped him.

"No, this is private. I don't need anyone else to find out about this. It's really personal, and I don't necessarily want to tell you, but you must know. After all, it's what you're up against too. It's only fair that I warn you."

Looking bewildered, he only nodded and sat back down on the couch to wait for her. She hurried into the bathroom and stepped into the shower. As the water ran over her, she thought about what she had done. The more she thought about it, the worse she felt.

Finally, she turned the water off and quickly dried herself before redressing in the Obelisk uniform. Then, she rushed out into the adjacent room, hoping Jaden would still be waiting for her. Indeed, he was just as she'd left him, sitting on the couch. He'd opened the window, and the wind was once more playing with his hair. Sighing heavily, she seated herself next to him and waited for him to notice her.

His eyes slid in her direction. "Well?"

She looked away from him. "Jaden…they're going to go after you. I fear they might even kill you…"

"Why would they?"

"Because they're willing to do anything to get rid of you. I haven't ever heard them say anything about killing you, but I wouldn't put it past them. That's not all though."

He cocked his head a bit to one side. "Well?"

"I suppose I have no choice but to tell you the whole story," She sighed, "Just please promise you won't hate me for the mistakes I've made."

"Of course not! Go on. I'll listen." He propped himself on his elbow and waited.

Taking a deep breath, she related the entire story to him. She left nothing about her dealings with the Society out, not even her relationship with Sartorius or her tryst with Chazz. As she went on, his eyes grew wider and wider. It was apparent that he was more than shocked. By the time she had finished telling about everything that had happened, he was shaking his head, his eyes glued to the ground. There was a long and uncomfortable silence. Finally:

"I can't believe that…you actually…with…"

"Sorry," She muttered, embarrassed, "I should've known better but…I guess I just let my feelings get the better of me. I really hope you can forgive me."

"Forgive you?" He frowned slightly, causing her to cringe in regret.

"I'm sorry, I know you can't but--" She began.

He cut her off by throwing his arms around her in a tight hug. "Oh, Lex, I could never hold anything like that against you. It's all right. You don't need my forgiveness. Why would I even be mad? It's your life, after all. It's all right."

She stared up at him in disbelief. "Really? It's all right?"

He smiled and nodded. "Of course. Now are we going to save Chazz or what?"

"We can't really do that…Sartorius--"

"Don't worry about him," Jaden assured her, "We'll get Chazz out, Ok?"

"I can't go back so soon," She protested.

"If what you've told me is true, then yes, we can," He insisted, standing, "Otherwise, Chazz will die."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chazz sat inside his room, fretting. He knew it would not be long until Sartorius sent for him. He knew Sartorius knew. After all, the elite ruler of the Society knew all. Nothing escaped his scrupulous gaze. He could only hope that Sartorius would be compassionate and have some mercy on him.

He had to admit, it had taken quite some nerve to defy Sartorius like he had. After that, he owed the man allegiance for the rest of his pathetic life. He had, indeed, been one of the main reasons Alexis had left, for he had encouraged her. Not to mention he'd had sex with her. Those reasons alone could cause him to be cast out. However, he had been contemplating leaving the Society and been speaking ill of it; he'd been disobeying and disrespecting his master and his beliefs, which would, indeed, bring him certain punishment.

He sighed heavily as he stared out the window. Yes, Alexis was gone. And she most certainly would not be coming back, not even to check up on him. He didn't blame her. In a way, he'd sort of betrayed her. And he felt unimaginable guilt about it. More than anything, he wished he could've taken it back. Well, what had been done was done. There was no use thinking on what could've happened. He might as well accept his mistake and his punishment.

Sure enough, not ten minutes passed before there was a knock on the door. Reluctantly, he rose to his feet and answered it. He groaned when he saw Bastion with a serious expression on his face. So Bastion was his replacement…

"Good morning, Chazz," Bastion said curtly, "The Master wishes to speak with you. I insist that you come immediately. It's urgent."

"Fine," Chazz snapped, trying to sound irritated, however, deep inside, he was terrified.

Bastion led him down the hall. Neither of them spoke a single word, which led Chazz to believe that he was in even more trouble than he'd originally believed. Feeling sicker to his stomach, he swallowed hard and tried to calm the fear rising in his throat. The last thing he needed was a panic attack or an emotional breakdown.

Much to his dismay, Bastion grasped him by the wrist and threw him into Sartorius' office. The door slammed and locked behind him. He swallowed hard and looked at Sartorius' leather chair. The psychic had his back turned on Chazz, which, as he knew, meant that he was very angry.

"Come closer, Mr. Princeton."

Chazz gulped and did as his master had requested.

"Have a seat." Sartorius said tersely, his tone cold.

Chazz had no choice but to seat himself uncomfortably in the armed chair before the polished desk. He shifted a few times, trying to get comfortable before giving up. The long silence made it impossible to relax.

Finally, Sartorius turned his chair. He set his elbows on the desk, and rested his chin on his hands, staring Chazz in the eyes. Sighing heavily with disappointment, he frowned.

"I expected better of you, Mr. Princeton," He said, shaking his head, "I really regret putting you over the Society, only under myself. How could you abuse that power? How could you sabotage your chances at obtaining more power?"

Chazz swallowed hard, his mouth going dry. "I don't know, sir."

"Of course you don't know!" Sartorius snapped, "You NEVER know. Now, let me ask one thing; after all you've already said about the Society behind my back, after all you've done to push Miss Rhodes away from us, do you really expect me to give you any more rewards or authority?"

He swallowed again, then shook his head. "No sir."

"And, on top of all that, you had to have relations with Miss Rhodes, the woman you KNEW I had my eye on? Did you honestly believe I wouldn't know? Did you honestly believe you'd get away with it? I have another question…what were you thinking?!" Sartorius raised his voice, "I should have you banned from this Society for eternity!"

Chazz looked down, wringing his hands. "Master…"

"Really, what do you have to say for yourself? What do you have to say in your defense?"

"Well, it's not exactly my fault she was afraid to keep going on like--"

"Don't even bother," Sartorius snapped, "She's gone now, and it's your fault! YOU were the one to talk her into leaving. It was YOUR idea. How dare you, you traitor!"

"But, did she really--"

"Does this explain anything to you?" Sartorius asked angrily, holding up a heart pendant dangling from a chain. "I found this on my floor."

Chazz opened his mouth then closed it, uncertain of how to react. Finally, he weakly nodded and squeezed his eyes shut in regret.

"And this." He held up the crumpled up note, "I found it in my trash can. It doesn't say much, but it says enough. And I know YOU were the cause."

He stood and circled around to Chazz's seat. Chazz swallowed hard as Sartorius stopped in front of him, and looked down. His face twisted into an expression of sympathy.

"Poor Mr. Princeton," He said, shaking his head, "He's SO confused. Whatever can we do?" Suddenly, he seized Chazz by the collar of his jacket and slammed him against the wall, holding him tightly around the neck so he couldn't breathe. "Let this be a warning to you, if you do ANYTHING of this sort again, I will kill you! Do you understand me?"

Chazz tried to push his hands away, struggling with the older man. Sartorius only gripped his neck tighter, choking him.

"Please…stop…" Chazz gasped, clawing at his hands, "I'm sorry…I'll stop…I swear…"

"Is that really true? I bet not. You're lying," Sartorius growled, his eyes flashing with hatred, "I can't take another chance with you. I must end your life now!"

Chazz kicked and fought, however, Sartorius was far too strong. Overcome by anger, he slammed Chazz against the wall again and again, until he was barely conscious. The entire time, he screamed at him, reprimanding him for touching Alexis. Chazz begged for mercy, however, Sartorius ignored him and only slammed him against his desk. He pushed the younger boy around for several minutes, until he'd had enough fooling around.

"I'm done with you," He hissed, taking Chazz up by the collar and opening the window. "Farewell."

Chazz squeezed his eyes shut, ready to fall to his doom. Just before Sartorius released him, the door opened and Jaden and Alexis rushed in. Sartorius turned and stared at them, a look of horror on his thin face.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"What are you doing?!" Alexis gasped, seeing him holding Chazz out the window, "Put him down!"

Sartorius' face darkened. He glared and opened his mouth to yell at her, however, for some reason, he stopped. It seemed as though he were debating with himself. After a moment's thought, he pulled Chazz back in the window and dropped him to the floor. He soon sank down to the floor as well, holding his face in his hand.

"I am deeply sorry," He murmured, looking pained, "I don't know what to say for myself…I just…lost control. Please excuse my behavior."

Chazz sat on the floor, his eyes wide. Finally, he managed to shake himself of his paralyzed state and move away from Sartorius. Jaden and Alexis rushed over to him, and helped him to his feet.

"Leave him alone!" Jaden snapped, hugging the shaken boy, "Just because he messed up doesn't mean you have to kill him! What sort of person are you?"

"I'm sorry," Sartorius muttered, looking genuinely grieved.

Alexis glared at him, her eyes full of contempt. She held tightly on to Chazz's other arm. "How do you expect me to trust you," She whispered angrily, "when you hurt one of my best friends? Now I know for sure that I cannot trust you. And I'm sorry I ever gave any allegiance or any love to a person as selfish and heartless as you!"

Having said that, she and Jaden began to lead Chazz out the door, still holding on to his arms and trying to comfort him. Right before they could exit, however, Sartorius grabbed Alexis' arm.

"Please reconsider," he begged, his eyes sorrowful, "Please, I need you here with me. I love you."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I know I messed up. I know I betrayed you. And I really was sorry. But I'm not sure if I'm so sorry anymore. You hurt my best friend. You tried to kill him. That, I cannot be so quick to forgive. Once you forgive him and make amends, and once you can find him trustworthy again, then will I reconsider." With one final sniff of indignation, she marched out, dragging Chazz and Jaden with her.

"You didn't have to do that for me," Chazz muttered, avoiding her gaze, "I told you not to get involved--"

"I DON'T CARE!!" She shouted, turning towards him and pointing a finger in his face, "You almost DIED, Chazz Princeton. Am I not supposed to care? I knew he would do something like this. And now, it's apparent that we have to get to the bottom of this strange behavior. It's almost as though he's two different people trapped in one body."

"I think we should duel him, then," Jaden suggested, "After all, the truth always comes out in a duel."

"Well, in that case, I'll duel him," Chazz growled, "I have to make sure that Alexis is safe at all costs, even if it gets me in more trouble."

Alexis whirled around and glared at him. "No way. I just got finished saving your pathetic ass. If you really want to do me a favor, then let ME duel him."

Jaden and Chazz exchanged a glance. They seemed uncomfortable with the idea; however, they had no choice.

"Oh, come on, you guys!" She insisted, "At least let me do this much. I only slept with him several times! He's someone I love greatly. Please, this is my duty. It's my place to do this for him and for us."

"Hey, now wait a minute," Chazz protested, "I can't let you get hurt again. I'd have to kill myself if you did. Because I swore to myself that I'd never let that creep abuse you again!"

"He's NOT a creep," She growled, "He's NOT always like that. Something's wrong and we have to get to the bottom of this. Since I'm the one closest to him, I have to do this."

"But, Lex, I love you and--" Chazz began.

"Save it, Princeton," Alexis interrupted, then, sighing and taking his hands, "I'm sorry, Chazz. I really am. I've been a bit mean to you but that's because I'm so terribly upset. Try to understand why I'm acting like this and what I'm going through. Please just let me do this."

He hesitated a moment, then nodded. "All right, Lexi. I guess it's only fair. It does make sense. But if you need any help…"

"Then I have you and Jaden as back up," She finished, smiling a bit. "See? It's going to be Ok. Now, come on, let's get these cuts cleaned up."

He only smiled weakly at her as she took his arm again. No matter what, she was determined to find out what was wrong with Sartorius. She would not entirely abandon him, but as long as he was treating her so terribly, she would resent him and keep her distance. It was what was best for them. She figured she could eventually find a way to bring him to his senses. Question was, could he change in time for her to take him back?

* * *

**A/N: Sorry that the ending was kind of weak. I just didn't really know how to end it. That's one of the hardest parts of the chapter. Oh well, I hope that you enjoyed it all the same.**


	9. Chapter 9: Power

**A/N: If I mess up on a duel, sorry. Just point it out and I'll try to fix it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

* * *

Chapter 9: Power

Alexis stared at her reflection in the mirror as she ran the brush through her silky golden hair. Her amber eyes softened and misted over. Sniffling, she quickly wiped her stray tears away and tried not to think about what had happened. Why had she given so much to a cult leader? Why had she, Alexis Rhodes, always denying boys' requests, let Sartorius take so much from her? Perhaps she really did love him. Of this, she could not be sure.

As she watched herself in the mirror, she noticed that she looked far sadder than she had ever looked. Perhaps it was her indecisiveness that made her so. All she knew was that the burden she'd been placed under was far too great for her to bear. And then, of all the things to happen, she had to duel Sartorius. The man she'd thought she'd loved. Or did she still? Why, he'd taken all her dignity and thrown it away. He could care less about her. She had eaten his lies right from his hand. How disgraceful of her! Well, never mind that. She didn't have time for such a minute detail of her past to matter.

At this point, all she could do was attempt to redeem herself. First, she'd have to look fairly agreeable in appearance; not one least bit ragged or slutty, mind you. No, she'd have to make amends as far as her reputation was concerned. Then, she'd have to make sure she dueled like her life depended on it. She had to win, not just for her own sake, but for the sake of her friends as well. It was almost as though her life did depend on it after all.

She straightened out her Obelisk blue uniform and gave a curt nod to her reflection. It wasn't the most modest of apparel but it would have to do. It wasn't like the uniform would hurt her reputation any more. Although the hem of the skirt came up a little too high for her taste at the moment, it wasn't as bad since all the other girls wore the same thing. She would make up for it with her proper manners and behavior, which she planned on doing. She would behave as a lady would and that would allow her to redeem herself.

Sighing heavily, she snatched her deck off the nearby night stand. Leafing through the cards, she figured that she could make do with it. Sartorius might be able to see into the future, however, that did not mean destiny was on his side. As long as she kept her wits about her and played well, she'd do just fine. There was no way he would capture her back into his trap. Never again would she fall for such trickery.

Perhaps, she thought, she shouldn't be so cocky about it. After all, who was to know what would happen? Say he _did_ manage to win? Where would that leave her? She supposed that she'd end up as his mindless drone again, and his little sex doll. How she despised the mere thought! Well, she would enjoy his company and perhaps even love him once more if he wouldn't treat her so casually. If he really cared, then she would be more willing to do what he needed. The only thing that kept her from smacking him was the uneasy gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach, telling her that it wasn't his fault. There was just something about him that made her wonder…

* * *

Chazz gave a little "tsk" of disapproval as he looked at his watch. How much longer was Alexis going to take in preparations? She had to be there as soon as possible. Sartorius was becoming restless, and he was beginning to eye Chazz in a rather disagreeable manner. Give a few more minutes and he might even attack the poor raven haired teen.

Shifting a bit, he tried his best not to look at Sartorius. The last thing he needed was to create more tension between them. However, it seemed as though that were inevitable. Actually, it seemed to have already happened, for Sartorius was walking towards him. Chazz swallowed hard and tried not to look the psychic in the eye.

"Alexis is late. You wouldn't have anything to do with this, now, would you?"

Chazz failed to respond. He only looked down at the floor.

"Answer me, Mr. Princeton."

He finally shook his head and swallowed hard again. The other man's amethyst gaze was becoming most unbearable.

"Well, whether she shows up or not, you are certainly still in as much trouble as you were to start with." Having said that, Sartorius turned around and walked away.

Chazz gripped the iron railing even tighter. He knew for a fact that Alexis would never avoid a duel. Why, then, had she failed to show up? Already, it had been twenty minutes past the time she should have arrived. What was keeping her away? Could it be that…?

No, Sartorius couldn't have. He wouldn't…would he? The very suspicion nearly drove the boy mad. He couldn't stand to think of Alexis in trouble like that. Was she sick? Hurt? What if she needed help? At this point, it was ever clear that she wasn't going to make it. Something had happened to her along the way. Something that he had to go investigate. Otherwise, who knew what could happen.

As discreetly as possible, he slipped into the shadows and to the door. On his way out, he motioned Jaden over. Looking confused, the clueless brunette trotted over.

"Listen," Chazz whispered in Jaden's ear, "I would like for you to keep an eye out for Alexis. Just in case she comes by. I'm going to go look for her. I think something might be wrong…"

Jaden looked slightly alarmed. "Well, she hasn't come yet and that is kind of unlike her…All right. I'll stay here. I'll call you if she comes. But what if she doesn't and you don't find her?"

"Then we'll take it to the school officials," Chazz replied, "Don't let anyone know I've left."

Jaden only nodded as Chazz walked out the door.

* * *

The pain was absolutely overwhelming. Alexis didn't feel as though she'd ever been so sick. Every time she tried to get up, another wave of dizziness overcame her and she fell back to her bed. Her head throbbed as she tried to focus on items in the room. However, she found herself unable to lay her eyes on an object for more than a few seconds. It was almost as though her soul were trying to leave her body. Frightened, she fought with all her might to keep herself from slipping away and giving into the pain. Somehow, it even felt as though the Light were trying to repossess her. And she could not let that happen at such a critical time as this.

Glancing back over at the clock, she tried desperately to get to her feet. What sort of duelist was she if she didn't show up? What would the Academy think if she, Queen of Obelisk blue, refused to duel? It would appear that she was a coward. No, she could by no means let that occur.

At that moment, there was a slight tapping on her door. Sickened by fever, she let out a small moan, trying to get to her feet so she could answer the door. She didn't need to bother. Soon enough, the door opened and Chazz stepped in. Seeing her lying on the bed, he rushed over and hovered over her.

"Alexis…" He whispered, stroking her hair out of her face, "You're so sick…there's no way you can duel now."

Tears of frustration came to her eyes. "But, Chazz…" She choked, "I've got to. How else can I make up for all the things--"

"Shush," He quieted her, "Let me take care of it for you. I'll be sure to tell them why you can't duel."

"Allow me to at least show up. Take me with you so I can cheer you on…so they will know I cannot duel myself…" She clutched his sleeve, her amber eyes begging him.

Looking down at her, he sighed. Then, reluctantly, he nodded. "All right, Lex. I'll take you. It's not a good idea but…all right."

He slipped his arm around her shoulders and lifted her off of her bed. She collapsed against him as he helped her towards the door. Finally, he grew weary of dragging her and lifted her off the floor. His charcoal eyes softened as he looked down at her. Murmuring a few words of sympathy, he pressed his cool lips to her heated forehead. She only smiled up at him in silent gratitude.

When they arrived back at the duel arena, they found that Sartorius was less than pleased. Upon seeing Alexis, his expression grew all the more annoyed, and also, a bit distressed. He rushed over to Chazz and snatched the golden haired girl from his arms.

"What have you done to her?" He demanded angrily, noting her half-conscious state.

Chazz clenched his teeth, his brow furrowing in a deep scowl. "What have I done to her? I think you should blame yourself. Can't you see she's suffering the after effects of being exposed to the Light? Whatever you've done to her to make her overly exposed, I don't know, but I do know that it's killing her!"

"As of recent, I've done nothing! She fought off the last attempt…" He paused, then his eyes widened, "Oh, no, it must've been dormant! If that's the case, then surely she will die…"

"What?!" Chazz gripped Sartorius by the collar of his jacket and growled through his teeth, "You'd better set things right, or else."

"There's nothing more I can do. It's far too late," Sartorius muttered, his face drooping in sorrow, "We can only wait for fate to claim her as one of its own."

"Shut up," Chazz snarled, "I don't want to hear any of that. Now, since Alexis obviously can't duel you, I'm taking her place."

"But you can't…you're deliberately going against my will!" Sartorius' face darkened with rage, "How dare you! No longer will I call you a son of the Light..."

Chazz snorted. "Ha! Like I'd want to be part of your noxious cult, anyway. Now, let's get this over with, shall we?" He held out his arm, activating his duel disk.

"If you must, then please, stop committing this sacrilege and blasphemy and remove all your white garments at once! One as soiled with sin as yourself should not go around disguised in the clothing of the pure--"

"Oh, shut up," Chazz seethed through his teeth, "If that's the case, then you are the one who is the biggest poser of all! You lure in those of us with great weaknesses, promising us all sorts of rewards and power. You can do no such thing. You are but a man, not of any sort of divine power. What, are we to treat a wretched mortal as a deity? What good can you do? Huh? Why go preaching to us like Jesus? Why talk about the way of the Light when it's only the pathway to darkness? You deceiver! When you speak of sacrilege and blasphemy, you are only condemning yourself. You are the blasphemer, not me."

Sartorius' face grew livid. "Fine! Say what you'd like, but this duel will most certainly prove to you, and the world, that I am not a poser. I am real. What I stand for is real! And you," He paused and laughed as he walked slowly closer to the teen, shaking his head all the while, "You poor sad soul. Nothing can save you now. For once you've turned your back on the Light, there's no returning. You are finished."

"Hold your tongue, oh wise one," Chazz hissed sarcastically, his eyes narrowing, "At the end of this duel, when you're burning away in hell, we'll see how much of a believer you really are! Can the Light save you in Hades? I don't think so."

Sartorius said nothing for a moment, only snatched Chazz's deck and shuffled the cards as Chazz shuffled his. Then, thrusting them back into the boy's hands, he said quietly, leaning his face in Chazz's, "Fate will see about that."

"Fate is a lie," Chazz scoffed as Sartorius walked back to his side of the duel field, "Fate would have you dead already. I say life is a mix of destiny, choice, and circumstances. And all those odds are against you right now."

"Be still," Sartorius hissed, activating his duel disk, "Just duel me."

"It would be my pleasure. I'll go first." Chazz drew his cards and glanced at them momentarily before making his move. "I summon White Knight Swordsman in attack mode (1200)! I end my turn."

Sartorius looked at the warrior with silver bladed arms for a moment with a slight smirk on his face. Then, he drew. "I summon Arcana Force III--The Empress in attack mode (1300)!" A figure that resembled some sort of alien appeared on the field, her sheer cape flowing behind her. "Now, Arcana Force III, attack White Knight Swordsman!"

Chazz suppressed a smirk as the creature destroyed his swordsman. It seemed as though Sartorius were playing into his hands.

"Now, I place one face down," Sartorius finished, "And end my turn."

"Finally," Chazz snorted. He drew, then, held a card out, "I summon White Knight Lancer in attack mode (1500)!" A warrior with a red feather atop his helmet, a white mask, and a white medieval lance appeared on Chazz's side of the field "And, since White Knight Swordsman is in my graveyard, his special ability activates. For every monster that I have on my side of the field with 'White Knight' in its name, it gains 300 attack points! Now, White Knight Lancer (1800), attack Arcana Force III!"

"You're so impatient, Mr. Princeton," Sartorius chided, wagging a finger at him, "First, let me activate my spell, if you would be so kind."

"Of course," Chazz scoffed, "I'm not disrespectful and rude like you."

"Now, now, there's no need to get so testy. Besides, weren't you just being a hypocrite there? Ah, never mind. I activate Ace of Sword! Now, watch as it spins around, as does the wheel of fate. Where it stops is up to you. If it stops right side up, then I get to inflict damage to your life points that is equal to a selected monster's attack points. If it stops upside down, then you select one of my monsters and inflict damage to my life points according to that monster's attack points."

"I'm sick of these sorts of games you play," Chazz seethed, "I won't let you win this time. And fate won't have your back anymore. Stop!"

The card began to slow. Sartorius smirked, as it seemed as though the card would stop right side up. Chazz only glared skeptically at it.

"_Your time is up. You've failed me for the last time, Sartorius,"_

Sartorius gripped his head, "No, don't…don't hurt me," He tried to scream, his fingers digging into his skin, "Leave me be!" Even though he felt as though he were speaking these words, they failed to come through his lips.

He watched in shock as the card landed upside down.

"_I will hand you the ultimate defeat, and then you will be sorry forcing me out of the boy and the girl!"_

"Oh no…" Sartorius gasped inwardly, "You're going to kill me, aren't you?"

"_Just wait and see…"_

He felt as though tears were stinging his eyes. More than anything, he hoped that Chazz would win, and that he wouldn't be harmed because of it.

Chazz gave a little laugh. "Looks as though destiny is not on your side today. Since you only have Arcana Force III out, then obviously those 1300 attack points are coming out of your life points."

Sartorius let out a small cry of pain as he felt part of his soul being stripped from him. Panting, he tried to hold onto himself, ignoring the loud screeching in his head. He watched partly in joy and partly in dismay as his life points dropped to 2700. He knew he had only a matter of time left before he left the world for good.

"Now," Chazz smirked, "I attack your Arcana Force III as I'd originally planned."

Sartorius planted his feet firmly into the ground, his muscles tense and shivering. Somehow, this sudden control felt strange…Could it be that he finally was able to move freely? Lifting his hand to his face and turning it over, he realized in shock that for the first time, he was mobile without having to be in excruciating pain. Happiness overwhelmed him. Until he realized what it meant. It meant that It had left him. This meant two things; one, his time was almost up and It was working against him. And two, Alexis would be the new victim.

Before he had time to warn them, however, his monster was destroyed in a fiery explosion. He let out another cry as his life points dropped to 2100.

"Because of White Knight Lancer's special ability," Chazz informed him, "I can attack twice in one turn. So I think I'll just attack your life points directly."

"No, wait, please," Sartorius gasped, "I have something to tell you, something to warn you about--"

"Please," Chazz snarled, "Spare me. You make me sick with all the faux concern in your voice. You're just trying to save your own skin. Now, go, White Knight Lancer, attack his life points directly!"

"No, no, NO!" Sartorius screamed again as sheer agony rippled through his veins. His life points dropped to 400.

"Tsk," Chazz shook his head in disgust, "And you said you were all for the Light. Look at you. You can hardly stand. This is the elite, acclaimed leader of the Society of Light. Look at him! He's reduced to a helpless, whimpering coward, just begging for his life. Well, it won't do you much good where you're going!"

"Stop, please," Sartorius panted, "Please I beg you…"

"There is no room in my heart for mercy of your kind," Chazz growled, "Not only did you brainwash almost the entire student body and endanger us all, and not only did you threaten my life, but you stole MY Alexis' sweet, pure, womanly innocence! And I can never forgive you for what you've done to her, and what you've taken from her. You've spoiled her, her reputation, and her dignity. There is nothing more you can take from her. Now, I lay a face down and end my turn."

Sartorius took a deep breath. "Well, if you won't listen to me, then I guess I have no choice." Now, he felt slightly determined to win the duel. If he did, then at least he would have a chance to tell Chazz about everything and apologize. Filled with a new determination and a new hope, he drew a card.

"I play my face down card!" Chazz interrupted his thoughts, and his reborn resolution. As soon as he saw the card, his heart sank. "Infernal White! This card allows me to inflict 600 points of damage to your life points for each of your standby phases. All I have to do is show you my hand. Which won't really matter since you're about to lose, anyway! Guess fate, destiny, luck or whatever you want to call it was not looking out for you today. Just goes to show that you can't rely on something as intangible as the ripples in a pool of water." Chazz showed Sartorius his hand, then, "Sayonara, sucker. Have fun in hell."

Sartorius fell to the floor as his life points dropped to zero. Seeing how he didn't black out immediately, he figured that perhaps he had been saved. Joy filled him to the core. He tried to get to his feet to thank Chazz for saving him; however, a sharp pain hit him in the stomach.

"_Your fate is sealed…"_

"No, please…" Sartorius begged, watching in horror as a black cloud enveloped him, "Please don't do this, I'm sorry! I'll never mess with tarot cards or fate again, just please give me another chance!"

"_You failed."_

Alexis let out a scream as the darkness began to expand, filling the room. She cried and sobbed, begging that this wouldn't happen. Chazz hurriedly jumped up into the stands next to her, and tried to shield her from the blinding light that followed the shadows. Although they could all hear Sartorius' screams, no one did anything about it. Everyone was too frozen in shock.

"Please don't abandon me!" Sartorius screamed from within, banging on the sides of his sepulture, "Please help me! Alexis, please! Somebody save me!!"

Unable to restrain herself, Alexis tore from Chazz's arms. "Sartorius!!"

"Alexis, don't!" Chazz screamed, clawing at her arm as the delusional girl rushed towards the expanding light, "Come back! Please!!"

"Sartorius!" Alexis shrieked, tears streaming down her face as she scratched at the massive orb feverishly, "No, please don't die! Don't leave me! It's not your fault, I know it isn't…please no…please come back…I know the truth now…please…" She sank to her knees, shaking.

"I won't let this happen!" Jaden shouted, finally finding his voice. He leapt out of the stands and practically threw Alexis out of the way. She let out a cry of distress as she was shoved roughly back into Chazz's trembling arms. "Let him go!"

"_He failed me. He sold his soul to me and now he must pay." _It growled. _"What do you think you can do about it?"_

"Whatever I can to save him," Jaden offered, "Take me if you have to,"

"No!" Chazz shouted, "Don't be a fool, Jaden. Get back!"

Jaden said nothing, only drew a card and placed it in his duel disk. Winged Kuriboh appeared.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Chazz screamed, holding Alexis' body hard against his own, trying desperately to protect her and calm her sobs, "You can't duel It!"

"Just trust me," Jaden assured him, winking, "Kuriboh, go save Sartorius!"

"He's nuts…" Alexis gasped, tears still gathered at the corners of her eyes, "He's so crazy…it'll never work."

The light grew more brilliant. So much so, in fact, that Chazz had to push Alexis under the desk to shield her. Despite her protests and screams, he held her under, keeping her face hidden in the front of his jacket. She clung tighter and tighter to him as a loud, high pitched buzzing sound filled the room, up to the point that she thought something would explode. And then…it was all over.

Breathing heavily, she opened her eyes. Peeking up over the edge of the desk, they found Sartorius lying unconscious on the ground. Looking around, Alexis found that Jaden was no where in sight. Gasping, her hand flew to her mouth in horror. He surely couldn't have…

Once more, she tore away from Chazz and rushed over to Sartorius. Somehow, she expected to find one of Jaden's cards lying nearby. But, no, she didn't even find that. Crumpling to her knees, she mourned for him, her crystal tears dripping onto Sartorius' face.

"No," She sobbed, hiccupping, "NO! Please bring him back, oh, please don't let it be true…PLEASE!!" She let her face drop into Sartorius' chest, her shoulders shaking and her body quivering.

Chazz slowly walked over, looking slightly lost. He knelt by Alexis and Sartorius. Nobody said anything for a long time. Finally:

"He'll be all right," Chazz whispered, "He'll be back. I know he will, Ok?"

Alexis sniffled and raised her head, then began to beat Chazz. "No, he won't! He'll never be back and it's all my fault! It's our fault! How could we be such horrible friends?!"

Chazz caught her wrists and told her, "I promise you, he'll be back. He's all right."

"How do you know?" Alexis gulped, "How can you be so calm?!"

"Because," Chazz replied simply, "I know Jaden. And one day he will return."

Alexis shook her head. She wasn't so sure if he were right or not. Maybe Jaden hadn't been lost after all. Maybe he would, indeed, return. An eerie sense of calm washed over her. She felt as though everything would be all right. Perhaps he was off somewhere, fighting an epic battle. All she knew was that he had saved Sartorius' life, and she could never repay him fully for that.

Looking up at Chazz, she felt grateful. She took Chazz in one arm and Sartorius in the other. Yes, she may have lost one of her best friends, but he had sacrificed himself in order for her to have her two others. And because of that selflessness that he'd demonstrated, she would not give up on him. Rather, she would search the world if she had to. It was her duty to go find him and rescue him from then on.

* * *

**A/N: Sound like the end? Nope. I have one more chapter left to go. Excited? Nervous? In tears cuz Jaden disappeared? -****You know who you are. Well, don't worry too much about it. :P**


	10. Chapter 10: Loss

**A/N: This is the last chapter of this fic. It's exciting to have it come to this point. I'm sorry I wasn't able to do more with it. Sadly, it was a mere plot bunny and I've said what I needed to say. So, thus, 'tis farewell for now.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 10: Loss

The sunlight trickled between the branches of the large oak tree. It shone brightly, so much so, it was almost white. Alexis quickly adverted her eyes and fixated them on the plush grass. She ran her hand over it, feeling the blades prickling her tender skin. The sensation should have been old, yet it felt so new. She felt reborn again.

Perhaps she was taking notice to all the details in life now that she'd experienced slavery at the most heightened state. Never before had the air tasted so fresh in her lungs. Never before had the sky seemed so clear, the sea so blue. She felt free yet, at the same time, a severe sense of loss.

Yes, it was true that Jaden had made his way back. They had discovered him at the pinnacle of the volcano the next day, passed out from exhaustion. Who knew how he'd gotten back, and why he had been at the volcano. All that mattered was that he was safely resting in his dorm room.

Her smile faded as she fingered a pink blossom. Sartorius had not left her mind for the weeks that had followed her release from the Society. However, it seemed as though there was no way to tell him how she felt about him. How awkward things already were between them! How much more so, would it be, if she were to tell him how much she cared for him. If she were to tell him just how much she loved him.

As she was in the middle of her thoughts, she heard approaching footsteps. Feeling slightly irritated, she refused to look up at her visitor. Nothing could tear her from her bond with nature as of that moment. However, it seemed as though her visitor had other ideas.

She saw a pair of brown shoes and black pants crouching down by her. Immediately, her face turned red. He was the last person she wanted to talk to at the moment. Her shame and her humiliation was far too great. Even now, her mistakes in the Society haunted her. She wanted to take them all back and be bathed clean and pure again. Even as she closed her eyes, she could almost feel her sins taunting her, telling her she could not forget nor change anything. How she longed to regain her innocence!

"Alexis," Chazz whispered, lying on his stomach on the grass and tilting his head to look at her face, "Hello, I'm talking to you."

She glanced over, her mouth pursing in disapproval. "I'm busy right now."

"How much longer are you going to avoid everyone? Come on. You have to talk to us sometime. We're your friends. Besides, I have something important to tell you."

"And what would be so important as to invade my privacy?" She queried, looking more and more irritable as the moments passed, "I do not wish to speak with you."

He grasped her around the waist and pinned her against him, "It's not healthy for you to sulk and mope around all alone. At least do it with someone else."

She gave a short, scoffing laugh, "Why must you always make a nuisance of yourself? Especially when all I want is to be alone?! It's almost as though you sense when I need my solitude the most and then you come running over here to--"

His eyes softened, a look of sympathy forming on his face, "Lex….Sartorius is leaving Duel Academy now. He's not coming back…ever."

A short gasp caught in her throat. Tears misted over her golden eyes against her will. "Leaving? For good?"

Chazz nodded in affirmation. "Why don't you at least tell him goodbye? I know he doesn't exactly hold the most pleasant of memories…but…his departure at least deserves to be acknowledged. Particularly after all the things you've endured and suffered together."

Hand on throat, she nodded slowly. Then, she rose to her feet, grasping his hand and pulling him with her. "All right. We'll tell him goodbye."

"Maybe that's not all you should tell him," Chazz suggested a bit meekly, "We all know why you've been hiding. It's all because of _what _you're hiding."

Her face turned scarlet. However, she made no attempt to deny his words. Instead, she chose to ignore him and keep walking towards the dock. He, as well, fell into silence and walked alongside her. Neither really knew what more to say anyway. It wasn't that they didn't have things to talk about; rather, they just didn't know how to speak with the other anymore.

She stepped onto the concrete of the dock and stared at the yacht before her. Instantly, a certain sick nervousness sank into the pit of her stomach. Nauseated, she made her way carefully and quietly towards the boat. Her fingers crossed, she prayed he would not be there. The last thing she wanted to do was face her fears.

"It's now or never," Chazz whispered in her ear, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to prickle. How terribly true it was. What she said and did now would have a huge impact on her future; ironically, on her fate. How she wished to never hear, think, or speak that word again!

She dared not to step onto the boat. Instead, she waited for him to appear to retrieve his packed boxes that were lying on the dock. It took several long minutes--perhaps even the longest she'd ever experienced in her life--however, he eventually came up onto the deck.

The moment she saw him, she noticed how much healthier he looked. His amethyst eyes had regained their natural glow; his cheeks were no longer sunken in. His complexion seemed remarkably brighter, having lost the sickly paste color that it had been before. Feeling her heart thump harder as their eyes locked, she stepped forward.

"Sartorius," She spoke his name cautiously, in a mere whisper. The moment it left her mouth, she was rendered speechless. It felt as though she had not seen him in a thousand years.

Slowly, he stepped off the boat and onto the dock. He looked from her to Chazz for a moment, then spoke. "I'm glad you came. I wanted to offer my sincerest apologies for--"

"It's all right," Alexis interrupted, her cheeks reddening, "We understand that it wasn't your fault. Please, there's no need to apologize again. That's all you have been doing since you have returned to normal."

"Well, there's no way I can ever apologize enough," Sartorius murmured, his eyes dropping to the ground, "I put you and Chazz through so much…but especially you…"

Alexis stepped closer, her face burning, and blurted, "It's all right. I'm almost glad it happened…I mean…" She paused and sighed heavily, embarrassed, "It made me realize things that I would never have before. And although it had to come about in the most unfortunate of circumstances…it wouldn't have happened any other way."

"What do you mean?" Sartorius asked, puzzled.

Alexis squeezed her eyes shut, ready to plunge into her confession. Thrusting her arms around his waist, she clung with all her might, tears beginning to stream down her face. "Sartorius!" She cried his name out, as though she were dying, "Sartorius! Please don't leave! I need you!!" Burying her face in his chest, she began to cry softly, "Please don't go…I love you. I can't live without you."

He was taken aback by her sudden display of affection and misery. Hesitantly, he laid a hand on the back of her head and began to stroke her hair. His eyes drooped, his expression grew sorrowful. "Dear child, I cannot stay here. I must leave soon."

"But, Sartorius," She sniffed, looking up at him with sad amber eyes, "I love you. Don't you understand that?"

"You're referring to a different side of me, one that ceased to exist. I cannot accept your affections. I'm sorry." He began to push her away.

Feeling as though her heart were being ripped from her chest, she clung with all her might. "No, no, no! I love _you_. Not your other side. I always sensed that in you, and I fell in love with the gentle, kind-hearted man you are today. I knew you were in there. Why else do you think I tried to leave the Society? I didn't want to at first but…it was necessary. It was for your sake and mine. Please don't think I was abandoning you. Please, you can't forget all we've done!"

He winced a bit at this. "Alexis, I understand. I know that you did what you had to do. I forgive you for it completely. And as much as I did love you, I certainly can't put you through any more torture. I can't hurt you again. It would kill me to see you in numbed agony…No, we cannot forget what we've done, but we can use it as a lesson as we delve into the future. I will never be free of spirits invading my mind; therefore, I am unfit and unsuitable for you or anyone else. Now if you would please excuse me, I must be on my way."

"No, NO! I can't let you do this to yourself…" Alexis nestled her head under his chin, trembling a bit, "Please don't give up on yourself or us. Please just give me another chance…give yourself another chance!"

"Let me go, Alexis. I have chosen this. I don't want to hurt you, but I can't be with you." He insisted.

"But if we just tried to work things out, maybe we could--" She began, her chin quivering.

"Please…" Sartorius pushed her arms away, grabbing her hands as she clawed at him desperately, "I don't want to be with you. Now go." He turned his back on her, beginning to walk away.

"No!" Alexis shouted, then, crumpled to her knees in grief.

Chazz knelt by her, placing his jacket around her heaving shoulders and trying to comfort her. She was too injured to push him away. Instead, she gave in to his affection and leaned against his shoulder, sobbing as quietly and discreetly as possible. How she hated to lose her dignity in such a humbling manner.

"It's all right," Chazz assured her in a soothing tone, "It's going to be all right. I know it feels like you're going to absolutely die but…you're not. You're going to live. Trust me. I'm still here. The Chazz is going to take good care of you."

"Oh, shut up," She hissed bitterly, wiping her tears angrily away, "Can't you see? I've just been rejected…it hurts. Why did he turn me away? When before he was so set on winning me over? I don't understand….why can't we be together? It was probably just the Light…he was just using me."

Chazz sighed heavily and embraced her tightly, placing his chin on top of her head. "No, he wasn't. He's trying to protect you by pushing you away."

"But…I'll never see him again," She whispered, looking sadder than before, "What am I supposed to do now?"

"I'll take you in," Chazz offered, trying not to look hopeful.

In response, she gave him a small kiss on the lips. "You're sweet, and I give you some credit for treating me so nicely, especially after watching me go after another man. However…I just don't love you. I can't bring myself to try to live with you."

"Then why the kiss?" He asked in confusion.

"Because you deserve it," She murmured, pulling his jacket closer around her, "You've helped me out through the lowest of my moments without even giving a thought to yourself."

"Actually--" He began.

"Don't spoil it, please," She interrupted, squeezing her eyes shut. "I just wish…life didn't have to be so complicated. Nothing ever works out."

He said nothing in response to this. At first, it puzzled her. But then, she looked up and saw that the yacht was leaving. Immediately, she tore away from Chazz and ran before he could stop her. She tried to keep up with it for as long as the shoreline would allow, crying silently to herself and hoping that Sartorius would change his mind. As the boat disappeared over the horizon, she caught a glimpse of his face staring after her. There were tears dripping like precious diamonds from his eyes.

* * *

The darkness of the room enveloped her like a blanket, shielding her from the world. Even though a piece of the world had entered her room, manifested through Chazz, she did not care. He was the only part of the world that she could bear to have near her at the moment. And he was quite near to her at that.

As much as she'd told herself it was all a mistake and she'd never do such a thing again, she had out of grief and heartbreak. Chazz was lying naked beside her, his arms wrapped snugly around her waist. Yet he was not the one she wanted to be with. She did not want to be beholded in such an intimate and innocent manner by him. She would rather give up the world than live another second, breathe another breath without the man she truly loved. However, there was no going back. He was not going to return to her, either.

The urge to end it all entered her broken spirit once more. She rolled over to face Chazz and curled up against him in a ball, almost as an animal might. She trembled vigorously, feeling as though she might as well return to the earth as she was born, and never see the light of day again.

Truth be told, light rather frightened her now. She would much prefer spending her time out at night, when the world was absent of any sort of light. Neither would she allow for any speck of white in her room. The only exception was in her uniform. Nothing more was to be white at all.

Chazz buried his mouth in the side of her head, kissing it passionately. She squeezed her eyes shut and let his mouth caress her temple. Rolling over on her back, she stared up at the ceiling, her eyes misted over and lost. Her golden hair spread in a fan around her, slightly disheveled. The sheets draped over her full breasts, just above the nipple. Sighing, she closed her eyes and listened the sound of the bed sheets rustle as Chazz cuddled up against her again.

She gritted her teeth a moment, then gave a dry laugh, "I'm so fickle…one moment I'm moping over him, the next I'm in bed with you. I could almost be mistaken for a sadist…"

"I don't hold it against you," Chazz muttered, his breath tickling her ear, "I understand. And I'm going to give you any amount of comfort that you need."

"Of course you will," Alexis sighed, "Because you're enjoying this more than you should."

She felt Chazz withdraw a bit. "That's mean…" He whined, "I don't want to hurt you…"

"I know," She groaned, covering her face with her hands, "My, what have I done?" She laughed a bit again, though it wasn't in the least funny, "I always have to go and ruin things even more than they already have been. It's not like me to be so impulsive. I'm such a fool! Especially for trusting the likes of you. You're going to go around the whole school telling your story to the boys, aren't you?"

He shook his head. "No, this is just between us. No one will have to know…"

She slung her arm over her forehead, tears dripping from the corners of her eyes. Taking a deep breath and letting it out in a shuddering sigh, she murmured, "What I wouldn't give to have him back in my arms…what I wouldn't give…"

Chazz grimaced. "I hate to see you in so much pain…"

She rolled over on her side, propping her cheek with her hand, "I hate to be talking about him while in bed with you. I'm really sorry," She looked sheepish, "I'm putting you through a lot, too. I'm being so inconsiderate. You really must be hurting a lot right now."

He closed his eyes, his eyebrows knitting together in sadness and sympathy. Shrugging, he told her, "Hey, whatever makes you feel better. I'm your friend. I'm obliged to help."

"And I feel like I'm taking advantage of you," She muttered, hugging him as she reclined once more, "I'm really sorry."

He smirked a bit, giving a small laugh, "I felt like I was using you. Look, can we just not think about this too much? It's more or less a mutualistic relationship. It's all right." He rubbed her back gently, trying to soothe her fears.

Suddenly, she sat up straight, fear coming to her eyes. He sat up as well, a bit uneasy.

"What is it?"

She raised a finger to her lips and gripped his wrist tightly, signaling for him to be still. They sat in silence for a moment, listening. All that could be heard was the sound of their stifled breathing. After another moment, there was a small tap on the door.

Quickly, she pulled her robe around her and shoved Chazz under the bed. He was less than pleased with the arrangement, however, complied without question or complaint. When she answered the door, what she found shocked her. A note was lying on the floor, along with a heart-shaped pendant.

_"Dearest Alexis,_

_I wasn't sure how exactly to take back what I'd said before, but now that I'm sure of how I feel and about my mental stability, I can safely say this. I want to take you as my wife. If you would take the ferry waiting for you early tomorrow morning and then take the earliest flight to London, I shall meet you at the airport by five o' clock in the afternoon. I will wait for you as long as it takes for you to arrive._

_Love,_

_Sartorius"_

She bent down and picked the pendant up, then clasped it around her neck. Remorse filled her over her rash actions. However, she pushed them away. She knew he'd understand. And she hadn't meant anything wrong by them.

Closing the door softly, she motioned for Chazz to come out from his hiding place. Eagerly, she showed him the letter. Although she'd expected for him to be hurt, he seemed quite the opposite.

As he hugged her and kissed her all over her face, he told her, "You got what you wanted. Just please don't forget about me…"

"I won't. I promise," She told him, kissing him on the cheek, "Thank you, Chazz…thank you for everything you've ever done for me. The woman you marry will be a very lucky woman."

He smiled sadly at her. "Too bad it won't be you." His hand lingered on her cheek for a moment, then dropped, "But if you're happy…then I won't object."

She nodded excitedly and rose from her seat to begin packing. While things had seemed to take an unexpectedly bad turn, maybe they weren't so bad after all. Sartorius was well now, and he had changed his mind about her. And to think, she was to be his wife soon! The very thought filled her with glee. It didn't matter to her that their relationship had started out in all the wrong ways, it had ended well, and that suited her. Perhaps fate really did play a part in her life. After all, why else would it have ended so wonderfully? Maybe she would never know. But she didn't have to question that it did, indeed, exist after all.

THE END

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**A/N: I hope that wasn't too bad. -.-;; I worked hard on this chapter, but it was still a kinda crappy chapter anyway. Last chapters are always hard to do. Wrapping the story up isn't exactly easy. Oh well, hope you enjoyed it anyway!**


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